Children’s Rights in the Tourism Industry

Abstract

This article maps and critically discusses the intersection of childhood, human rights and tourism in scholarly research. Findings reveal this area of scholarship has received little attention beyond “adultist” and “protectionist” approaches, which construct children as too vulnerable to participate in tourism research, policy and practice. Through a systematic scoping review of relevant peer-reviewed scholarly articles, we argue for more child-centred, rights-based, and participatory approaches to engaging children in research about their lives in an area where their voices are often neglected. The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (uncrc) was an important milestone in realising children’s rights, and while much has been achieved during this time, children’s rights research and scholarship must address certain fundamental issues to move into the future. This paper aims to respond to the recent call for more interdisciplinary efforts focused on children’s rights in the context of global development and tourism.