By AAHOA Staff
Human trafficking is a global crisis, with an estimated 27.6 million victims worldwide at any given time. Traffickers prey on individuals of all ages, backgrounds, and nationalities, exploiting them for personal gain. This pervasive issue demands constant vigilance, but National Human Trafficking Prevention Month in January serves as a critical reminder of the important role industries like hospitality play in combating this crime. Hotels, often unknowingly used as venues for trafficking, highlight the need for awareness and education among owners, operators, and staff to help identify and prevent such activities.
January 11 was National Human Trafficking Awareness Day, also known as Wear Blue Day. AAHOA Members, staff, and hospitality professionals across the country joined a national movement to raise awareness about human trafficking. By wearing blue, hotel owners and employees demonstrated solidarity with survivors and their commitment to preventing trafficking in their communities. This initiative features photos submitted by AAHOA Members who proudly participated, showcasing the industry’s resolve to be part of the solution.
Empowering Through Education
Awareness alone isn’t enough to fi ght trafficking – education is key. AAHOA offers BEST Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training, Sponsored by AAHOA, which is digital and free for all AAHOA Members and their employees. This training provides hotel staff with the tools to recognize the signs of trafficking and respond effectively. Over 10,000 AAHOA Members and their employees have completed this training, helping to create safer environments for guests and staff alike.
Through training, hotel teams learn to identify subtle red flags such as unusual booking behaviors, guests avoiding interaction, or signs of distress in individuals. These skills are critical in ensuring that traffickers do not exploit hotels and remain places of safety.
Commitment Beyond January
While National Human Trafficking Prevention Month has passed, the industry’s commitment to combating trafficking continues. Hotel owners and staff are encouraged to make education and vigilance a year-round priority. For those who have yet to complete the BEST training, resources remain available at aahoa.com/resources/human trafficking.
Wear Blue Day may have been a single day, but the dedication it represents is ongoing. Together, the hospitality industry can play a significant role in preventing human trafficking and protecting those at risk.
Join the Fight Against Human Trafficking
AAHOA is committed to promoting awareness of human trafficking by educating hoteliers and their employees on how to spot and report suspected instances of human trafficking.
AAHOA offers BEST Inhospitable to Human Trafficking Training, Sponsored by AAHOA, completely digital and free for all AAHOA Members and their employees. Trafficking not only destroys lives; it also can destroy livelihoods.
Get trained today to save lives and protect your business.
- Available in both English and Spanish
- Earn your certificate in less than an hour
- FREE for AAHOA Members and their employees
- Satisfies many state-mandated training requirements
- All-digital training, and work at your own pace
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