By signing the Commitment, the Vocational School for Commerce and Travel in Vienna (Berufsschule für Handel und Reisen) acknowledges its responsibility for the respect of human rights in the tourism industry and anchors the topic in the education of tourism professionals.

The "Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism" welcomes another member in Austria: the Vocational School for Commerce and Travel in Vienna. By signing the Commitment, the school accepts its responsibility for respecting human rights in tourism and acts as a multiplier for their implementation in the tourism industry, as Günter Moser, the school principle, emphasises: "Sustainability is an important part of our students' education. In particular, respect for human rights is an absolutely necessary prerequisite for a functioning sustainable tourism on eye level. Since our students work in travel agencies and other tourism companies, they can act as multipliers and contribute to a change of perspective among colleagues and customers.”

Respect for human rights is an important pillar of sustainable tourism

The Vocational School for Commerce and Travel and respect_NFI, liaison office of the Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism in Austria, have already been working together in various projects for several years. "We are very pleased that the school is now an active member of the Roundtable Human Rights," says Cornelia Kühhas from respect_NFI. "As the only training school for travel agency assistants in Austria, it sensitises and informs future tourism professionals about the Roundtable's concerns and values, which they will implement in their later work. This is an important contribution to sustainable, responsible and fair tourism.”

The Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism has 33 members in six countries; in Austria, the Austrian Travel Association (Österreichischer Reiseverband), Kneissl Touristik and Oliva Reisen have joined so far. Günter Moser: "We are very happy to be embedded in a network with partners who pursue the same goal. The Roundtable provides us with a platform where we can obtain up-to-date data and figures and exchange ideas."

About the Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism
The Roundtable Human Rights in Tourism e.V. is an international multi-stakeholder initiative to promote human rights in tourism. The Roundtable acts as an open network to support tourism businesses on their way to respect human rights in tourism according to the UN Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights by preventing, addressing and remedying human rights abuses committed along the supply chain in their business operations.
respect_NFI | Naturefriends International is a founding member of the Roundtable and its liaison office in Austria.