Hawaii – Brussels- Seychelles- Bali: ICTP announced its recognition of Airline Ambassadors today for their outstanding work in responding to humanitarian tragedies and agreed to partner with the organization to support their action to combat human trafficking. ICTP will encourage its members to engage with Airline Ambassadors in their airport focused initiatives and their training sessions for airlines, hotels, tour operators and other front line staff.
Moreover, as a result of this collaboration all ICTP Council Members will be offered the course free of charge. This can include tourism boards, airlines, airports, hotels and other ICTP stakeholders joining the ICTP Council membership.
ICTP chairman Jürgen Thomas Steinmetz said, “We’re very excited to integrate Airline Ambassador services into the portfolio of the International Coalition of Tourism Partners. This cooperation opens many new opportunities for ICTP and our members. We’re looking forward offering training programs against human trafficking to our destination, airports and airline Council Members. .”
Founder of AAI, Nancy Rivard said, “After correctly identifying trafficking on four flights in 2009, AAI coordinated two Congressional Briefing’s on the issue and worked closely with Homeland Security and Custom’s Border Protection to develop an industry specific 90 minute training for the travel Industry, consistent with Homeland Security’s “Blue Campaign”.
“Airline Ambassadors has provided 13 successful trainings so far to more than a thousand individuals at DFW, HNL, SFO and DCA airports as well as at the Intl Tour Management Conference and Traveler’s Aid National Conference and Sabre-Holdings with excellent responses” said Sandy Dhuyvetter, Executive producer at TravelTalkMEDIA.and a Trafficking Awareness developer / trainer for Airline Ambassadors International.
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Note for Editors
The U.N.’s International Labor Organization estimates there are 21 million people held in forced labor, including 1.5 million in North America and Europe. Trafficking is estimated to be a $32 billion dollar annual business.
About Airline Ambassadors International (AAI)
Airline Ambassadors International (AAI) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization affiliated with the United Nations and recognized by the US Congress. It began as a network of airline employees using their pass privileges to help others and has expanded into a network of students, medical professionals, families and retirees who volunteer as “Ambassadors of Goodwill” in their home communities and abroad. It provides a way for members to share their unique skills and talents to care for others and bring compassion into action. AAI provides for children and families in need as well as relief and development to under-privileged communities worldwide. We escort children in need, hand-deliver humanitarian aid to orphanages, clinics, and remote communities, and educate and advocate on Child Protection.
About TravelTalkMEDIA
TravelTalkMEDIA, established in 2001, is one of the world’s most relevant travel industry new media companies, providing travel-related information, news, and entertainment to the travel and tourism industry worldwide.
TravelTalkMEDIA broadcasts through its TravelTalkRADIO, BusinessTravelRADIO and TV subsidiaries.
Programming is distributed to one million listeners in 180 countries each month through online and conventional radio distribution via satellite and cable. Radio broadcasting reaches listeners through our distribution networks in North America, the UK, China, and 22 other countries in the Asia-Pacific region and Silk Road Region.
About ICTP:
The International Coalition of Tourism Partners (ICTP) is a grassroots travel and tourism coalition of global destinations committed to quality service and green growth. ICTP engages communities and their stakeholders to share quality and green opportunities including tools and resources, access to funding, education, and marketing support. ICTP advocates sustainable aviation growth, streamlined travel formalities, fair coherent taxation, and investments for jobs. ICTP supports the UN Millennium Development Goals, the UN World Tourism Organization’s Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, and a range of programs that underpin them. ICTP has over 100 destination members, including: Anguilla; Aruba; Australia; Bangladesh; Belgium, Belize; Brazil; Canada; Caribbean; China; Croatia; Cyprus; Ecuador; Egypt; (The) Gambia; Georgia; Germany; Ghana; Greece; Grenada; India; Indonesia; Iran; Italy; Jordan; Kenya; Korea (South); La Reunion (French Indian Ocean); Malawi; Malaysia; Mauritius; Mexico; Morocco; (The) Netherlands; Nicaragua; Nigeria; Northern Mariana Islands (USA Pacific Island Territory); Romania; Sultanate of Oman; Pakistan; Palestine; Philippines; Portugal; Rwanda; Seychelles; Sierra Leone; South Africa; Sri Lanka; St. Eustatius (Dutch Caribbean); St. Kitts; St. Lucia; Sudan; Swaziland; Tajikistan; Tanzania; Trinidad & Tobago; Uganda; USA; Yemen; Zambia; and Zimbabwe.
