A reform presented by Deputy Rocío Abreu from Morena seeks to establish protective measures for minors in tourist services. The initiative, aimed at amending the General Tourism Law, stipulates that all providers of tourist services must implement safety measures to safeguard the integrity of minors before providing their services.
The proposal requires that guests must prove they are of legal age when checking into tourist accommodations. Additionally, providers must verify the relationship or legal connection with accompanying minors, under the risk of being reported to authorities and facing legal penalties for non-compliance.
Furthermore, it establishes that providers of tourist services must inform authorities of any possible commission of crimes, especially those involving minors. The reform also states that digital platforms offering accommodation services must register in the National Tourism Registry.
Deputy Abreu emphasizes the urgency of acting against child sexual tourism in Mexico, underlining that it is a serious issue, especially in tourist areas. According to the national DIF, around 17 thousand minors in the country are victims of sexual exploitation, with the majority of cases concentrated in tourist destinations.
Reports from the Network for the Rights of Children in Mexico and the Integral Observatory of the Puerto Vallarta and Bahía de Banderas Tourist Region indicate that child sexual tourism has alarmingly increased in recent years, with a significant rise in reported cases. It is noted that a considerable percentage of clients come from countries such as the United States, Canada, and Europe.
The initiative, still pending approval in the Tourism Commission, aims to combat child sexual tourism and strengthen the protection of minors in the tourism sector.