Free Trafficking Prevention Training Developed by Marriott With Support from AHLA

To mark the World Day Against Trafficking in Persons, the American Hotel & Lodging Foundation (AHLA Foundation), ECPAT-USA and Marriott International launched a trafficking prevention training program for the hotel industry on July 29, 2022.

The program is titled “Recognize and Respond: Addressing Human Trafficking in the Hospitality Industry.”

The training program was developed by Marriott in collaboration with non-profit organizations and survivor experts. It has been donated by Marriott to ECPAT-USA and is now available free through ECPAT-USA’s online learning platform thanks to the support of the AHLA Foundation.

“ECPAT-USA is honored to partner with the AHLA Foundation and Marriott International in our work to end human trafficking and child sexual exploitation and is grateful for their continued leadership and support. ‘Recognize and Respond: Addressing Human Trafficking Hospitality Industry’ will serve as a timely and deeply impactful resource for the entire travel sector,” said Lori Cohen, Chief Executive Officer of ECPAT-USA.

The program builds on the earlier “Your Role in Preventing Trafficking” training, which was released in 2020. The new program aims to further train and raise awareness of managers and associates about responding to potential trafficking situations and dealing with potential victims.

“One of No Room for Trafficking’s goals is to train every single hotel employee to identify and respond to a potential human trafficking situation. Through this innovative new training, the industry as a whole will be better equipped to help identify and stop cases of human trafficking,” said Chip Rogers, president and CEO of AHLA. “We are extremely grateful to Marriott International and leading trafficking prevention partners who are offering this free training with support from the AHLA Foundation.”

Earlier in July this year, AHLA hosted a No Room for Trafficking Summit in Washington, D.C to further strengthen efforts in eradicating human trafficking and supporting survivors. During the Summit, the AHLA Foundation announced a total of $1 million in donations from Hyatt Hotels Foundation, G6 Hospitality, and Extended Stay America to launch the No Room for Trafficking Survivor Fund.