Mark Connolly, a representative of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) is passionately urging Jamaican hotel operators to sign on to the code of conduct for the protection of children from sexual exploitation in travel and tourism.

The United Nations Children’s Fund works for children’s rights, survival, development and protection.

He was speaking with reporters following the ECPAT launch at the Grand Palladium Hotel in Point, Hanover, over the weekend.

ECPAT is a non-governmental organisation and a global network of civil society organisations exclusively dedicated to ending the commercial sexual exploitation of children

Meanwhile, during his address at the launch Connolly expressed his disappointment that only a few hotels have signed onto the code.

The code is an industry-driven initiative with a mission to provide awareness, tools and support to the tourism industry in order to prevent the sexual exploitation of children.

There are some 85 members in 77 countries across the world.