Abstract
The contribution addresses the critical global challenge of child protection within the context of sustainable tourism. Grounded in key international frameworks such as the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Council of Europe Lanzarote Convention, and the Global Code of Ethics for Tourism, it highlights the imperative to safeguard minors from all forms of abuse, particularly sexual exploitation exacerbated by tourism-related activities. The presentation underscores alarming global and national data on child sexual abuse and the problematic dynamics of child sexual tourism. It advocates for integrating a care ethics approach into tourism practices—shifting from extractive to responsible tourism that actively protects and promotes the well-being of children. This approach necessitates systemic inclusion of all tourism stakeholders, embedding child protection into policies, laws, professional training, and operational standards. The contribution calls for a collective, democratic responsibility in the tourism industry to ensure effective prevention and response, fostering tourism as a vector for social good and child safeguarding.