Human trafficking in hotels: an “invisible” threat for a vulnerable industry

This paper aims to identify and analyse the hotel sector’s vulnerabilities that human traffickers exploit to use hotels as conduits for trafficking in human beings (THB).

Using the Method for the Assessment of the Vulnerability of Sectors framework of sector vulnerability analysis, the study adopted a qualitative approach using environmental scanning and semi-structured key stakeholder interviews in three European countries: UK, Finland and Romania.

The study identifies the types of THB occurring within the industry and the specific macro-, meso- and micro-level factors that increase hotel vulnerability to trafficking for sexual exploitation, labour exploitation or both.

Given the sensitivity of the topic, the number of interviewees is limited as is the generalisability of the findings.

The framework developed serves as a practical tool for independent or chain-affiliated hotels to use to assess their vulnerability to human trafficking for both sexual and labour exploitation.

The framework will assist hotel professionals to assess their vulnerability to human trafficking and identify specific and proactive measures to combat this crime within their business.

This is the first study to empirically explore human trafficking in the hotel sector and to apply an integrated theoretical lens to examine macro-, meso- and micro-level sector vulnerabilities to a crime. It contributes to the authors’ understanding of why hotels are vulnerable to human trafficking for both sexual and labour exploitation.