Child Protection
& Safeguarding Policy

01Purpose & Scope

Asia Travel Mates Corp operates journeys across Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia that involve families, children, community tourism, hotels, guides, transport, attractions and local suppliers. This policy sets out how we protect children across every part of that operation.

It applies to:

• All team members and contractors of Asia Travel Mates Corp, wherever they are based;
• All guides, drivers, tour leaders and on-the-ground staff engaged by us;
• All suppliers we work with — including hotels, cruise operators, transport providers, activity partners and community tourism hosts;
• All trade partners who sell or arrange our services; and
• All travelers who join journeys we operate.

The policy is designed to reflect the reality of tourism in the region — small communities, family-run businesses, and the significant presence of children in everyday life. Protecting children is not about treating children as risk — it is about making sure that our operations do no harm.

02Our Principles

• Zero tolerance. We do not tolerate any form of child abuse, exploitation, neglect or harm — including physical, emotional, sexual or economic abuse.
• The best interests of the child. In any decision that affects a child, the best interests of the child come first.
• No orphanage tourism. We do not offer orphanage visits, and we do not support voluntourism programs that may separate children from their families, subject them to institutional care, or expose them to harm.
• No child labor. We do not engage children in any role in our operations — and we do not knowingly work with suppliers who do.
• Local context, universal standards. We respect local culture, but child protection is not cultural. The same standards apply everywhere we operate.
• Proportionality. Our policies are designed to be practical — not to prevent families from travelling, but to ensure their safety.

03Family Travel & Journeys with Children

We welcome families, and a significant part of our work involves journeys with children. When children are travelling on our journeys, additional safety standards apply.

3.1 Booking & Consent

• All travelers under 18 must travel with a parent or legal guardian, unless specific written arrangements have been agreed in advance.
• Where a child is travelling with only one parent, or with an adult who is not a parent, appropriate documentation may be required — including consent letters or custody documents.
• The lead traveler is responsible for ensuring that all traveler details are accurate — including the ages of all children on the journey.

3.2 Journey Design & Safety

• Activities are matched to the age, ability and interests of the children on the journey — no over-challenging experiences for younger travelers.
• Where an activity carries specific risks (kayaking, trekking, cycling, wildlife encounters), appropriate safety equipment, supervision and briefings are provided.
• Accommodation is selected with family needs in mind — including room configurations, safety considerations and amenities.
• Guide briefing includes awareness of child safety for the specific journey — including water safety, altitude, heat, and local hazards.

3.3 Care & Supervision

• Primary responsibility for the supervision of a child rests with their parent or guardian — not with our guides.
• Guides may assist with logistics, safety and emergency response, but they are not a substitute for parental supervision.
• Where a guide is left alone with a child, this occurs only in emergencies, and always with a second adult present wherever possible.

04Child Protection in Community Tourism & Homestays

Community tourism and homestays place travelers in close contact with host families, including children. This proximity requires careful, consistent standards.

• Consent and boundaries: Travelers should be briefed on how to engage respectfully with children in host families — and on the boundaries that always apply.
• No unsupervised contact: Travelers should not take children away from the family, offer to take children on outings, or remain alone with children.
• No gifts or cash: Travelers are advised not to distribute gifts or money to children, as this can create dependency and distort the child’s relationship with visitors.
• No photography without consent: Travelers must not photograph children without the explicit consent of a parent or guardian — and never in circumstances that could compromise the child’s dignity or safety.
• No orphanage introductions: We do not facilitate contact with orphanages, children’s centers or similar institutions.
• Reporting expectations: Any concern about a child’s wellbeing in a community or homestay setting should be reported through our reporting routes (Section 08).

05Photography, Media & Privacy

Photography of children can easily cross into exploitation or harm — even when unintended. Our standards for photography are strict.

• No photographing children without explicit, informed consent from a parent or guardian.
• No photographing children in vulnerable situations — including in hospitals, orphanages, or settings where their dignity is compromised.
• No photographing children where they are the subject of the image in a way that suggests they are a curiosity or spectacle.
• No publishing images of identifiable children on any public-facing platform without written parental consent.
• No photographing children for commercial purposes — including marketing, brochures, websites or social media — without documented, specific consent from a parent or guardian.
• Travelers are briefed on this at the start of any journey where children will be present.

06Supplier Standards

Our child protection commitments extend to every supplier, partner and trade contact we work with. Where we become aware of a child protection issue, we take it seriously — regardless of the supplier’s size or importance to us.

6.1 Supplier Expectations

• Suppliers must comply with all applicable child protection laws in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia.
• Suppliers must not engage children in any form of labor that interferes with their education, health or development.
• Suppliers must not offer, facilitate or promote orphanage visits, exploitative voluntourism, or any activity that involves children in a manner that could cause harm.
• Suppliers must not use images of children for marketing without documented parental consent.
• Suppliers must report any child protection concern to us promptly through agreed channels.

6.2 Supplier Screening

We assess suppliers on their child protection practices where relevant — particularly:

• Hotels and resorts that host family travellers;
• Tour and activity providers whose experiences bring travelers into contact with children;
• Community tourism hosts and homestay families;
• Transport providers engaged in journeys with children.

6.3 Consequences

Where a supplier is found to be engaging in child abuse, exploitation or significant safeguarding failure, we will:

• Take immediate corrective action — up to and including immediate termination of the partnership;
• Where appropriate, report the matter to the relevant authorities in the country concerned;
• Refuse to continue working with the individuals or organizations responsible.

07Our Team & Guide Training

Our team members and guides are in direct contact with travelers and, in some journeys, with communities and children. Their awareness is central to this policy.

• Initial training: All team members and guides are briefed on this policy during onboarding.
• Recognition: Training covers how to recognise the signs of abuse, exploitation and neglect in a travel context.
• Response: Training covers how to respond to a disclosure or observed concern — including the limits of what a guide should do themselves.
• Reporting: All team members and guides know the reporting routes (Section 08) and their obligations.
• Review: Training is refreshed periodically and updated when this policy is updated.

08Reporting Concerns

Anyone — traveler, partner, team member or community member — can raise a concern. We treat all reports seriously and handle them confidentially.

8.1 How to Report

8.2 What Happens Next

• Acknowledgement: We aim to acknowledge all safeguarding reports within 24 hours.
• Confidentiality: Reports are handled on a need-to-know basis only.
• Assessment: An initial assessment determines urgency and appropriate next steps.
• Action: Depending on the nature of the concern, action may include supplier review, partnership termination, engagement with local authorities, or support for the affected child.
• No retaliation: No team member, partner or traveler will suffer any adverse consequence for reporting a concern in good faith.

8.3 Emergency Situations

Where there is an immediate risk to a child’s safety, contact the local emergency services in the country concerned (Section 09) — and inform us as soon as possible.

09Local Context & External Reporting

Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia each have their own legal framework for child protection. Where a concern involves a legal matter, we cooperate with local authorities and any relevant national or international child protection bodies.

9.1 Emergency Numbers

Local helpline numbers can change. Where the number above is not current, contact local emergency services and inform us directly.

9.2 Cross-Border Concerns

Where a concern involves travelers, partners or suppliers from different countries, we work with the relevant authorities and child protection bodies — coordinating with our trade partners and their local contacts where appropriate.

10Continuous Improvement

• Review cycle: This policy is reviewed at least annually, and whenever a relevant incident or legal change occurs.
• Incident learning: Where a concern is raised, we review what happened and adapt our policy, training or supplier standards accordingly.
• Feedback: Feedback from travelers, partners, guides and communities informs how the policy evolves.
• Publication: This policy is public. We publish it because travelers, partners and communities deserve to know where we stand.