- ECPAT Deutschland study examines hotels as sites of child exploitation
- Commercial accommodations frequently used for sexual exploitation of minors
- Online grooming leads to physical offences in hotels and rentals
- Study highlights gap in awareness and child protection protocols
- Recommendations include staff training and clear reporting paths
A September 2026 study released by ECPAT Deutschland has shown that commercial tourist accommodations and hotels in Germany are frequently utilised as physical locations for the sexual exploitation and trafficking of minors. The research included interviews with experts from the tourism industry, law enforcement, specialised counselling centres and a survey of 175 hotels. While the initial grooming and contact between perpetrators and minors heavily rely on digital spaces such as social media platforms, private chat rooms and online games, the actual offences frequently take place in physical venues like hotels or short-term vacation rentals.
Antje Monshausen, Managing Director of ECPAT Deutschland, emphasised that no destination is immune and that exploitation is not limited to outbound international travel. The study highlights a substantial gap in awareness and structured child protection protocols within the domestic German hotel and hospitality sector. ECPAT Deutschland urges accommodation providers, tourism associations and policymakers to improve staff training so workers can recognise warning signs, exercise civil courage and establish clear reporting paths to law enforcement and youth welfare offices.
The research highlights how increasingly online, automated and anonymous booking processes create massive challenges for safety. Perpetrators use this lack of verification to secure spaces undetected. While child protection efforts historically focused on international travel and outbound tourism, domestic risks are highly prevalent. Local criminals heavily exploit commercial spaces like hotels, hostels and holiday apartments. Business trips, local conference hotels and short-term rentals are frequently used for illicit operations. Because many staff members are untrained to spot the signs, these instances rarely make it into official crime statistics.
Antje Monshausen, Managing Director of ECPAT Deutschland, shared: “No destination is immune and exploitation is not limited to outbound international travel.”
