Sex tourism

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Abstract

This article reviews the existing literature on sex tourism and prostitution. The review reveals a relatively narrow definition of what the subject constitutes. This paper proposes a holistic framework that moves beyond the traditional use of monetary exchange as the defining criterion of sex tourism. Besides pecuniary aspects, the framework incorporates several parameters, including intention and opportunity, tourism, length of time, prostitute–tourist relationship, sexual encounter, and who travels. These are used as important criteria in establishing what constitutes sex tourism and/or identifying sex tourists. By adopting this new perspective it is hoped that existing double standards towards sex tourism and its workers are recognized and overcome.

Introduction

While some countries may be more renowned for the availability of commercial sex, sex tourism exists everywhere, in Europe, North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Australia or Oceania (Ashworth et al 1988; Crush and Wellings 1983; Harrison 1994; Kleiber and Wilke 1995; Launer 1993; Naibavu and Schutz 1974; OConnell Davidson 1996; Senftleben 1986; Symanski 1981). But what is sex tourism? In the developed world, this term usually evokes the image of men, often older and in less than perfect shape, traveling to developing countries (in Asia, Africa, Latin America, or the Caribbean), for sexual pleasures generally not available, at least not for the same price, in their home country (OConnell Davidson 1996). Yet in some destinations such as Kenya, The Gambia, and several Caribbean islands, female sex tourists are reputedly more prominent than their male counterparts (Aparicio 1993; Beckmann and Elzer 1995; Brown 1992; Kleiber and Wilke 1995; Meisch 1995; Pruitt and LaFont 1995; Simmons 1998). In the literature, sex tourism is often reduced to the main motivation being to consummate commercial sexual relations (Graburn 1983; Hall 1992; Harrison 1994; Meyer 1988; OMalley 1988). However, this is an overt simplification and arguably excludes many other cases and settings (Ryan 1998). Or, according to Kruhse-MountBurton, it masks the complex process by which individuals choose to seek sexual gratification, first within prostitution, and secondly as part of the tourist experience (Kruhse-MountBurton 1995:192).

This paper provides a radical departure from this typical definition of sex tourism as tourism for commercial sex purposes by looking at five additional parameters—besides monetary exchange—that can and should be used in defining the subject. These variables are purpose of travel, length of time, relationship, sexual encounter, and who falls in this category of travel. It will be argued that these combined parameters provide a more holistic approach to coming to terms with what constitutes sex tourism. To that end, the paper also challenges the interface between prostitution and sex tourism. If one uses the traditional perspective on the subject, then it forms a subset of prostitution (Fig. 1). Yet the vast majority of tourists who use prostitutes to satisfy their sexual needs do not travel for that purpose alone. In many cases, this is just a by-product or side attraction rather than the main and sole purpose. OConnell Davidson 1996termed these situational sex tourists (OConnell Davidson 1996:40). For example, many business and conference tourists do make use of prostitutes while traveling away from home (Hanson 1997; Ryan and Kinder 1996). On the other hand, many tourists find sexual gratification as part of their experience without resorting to typical sex provider settings and prostitutes. For example, the virtual (sex) tourist has many websites to choose from with a vast array of different options in his/her search in cyberspace (Kohm and Selwood 1998).Some commentators would argue that all prostitution might be considered a subset of tourism (personal communication with Harrison in 1997). Others see the whole of tourism as a subset of prostitution (Graburn 1983). While prostitution and, at least, sex tourism are tightly interwoven, they are not the same. As defined in this paper, sex tourism involves more than the monetary exchange so often associated with prostitution. Indeed, prostitution often occurs without any travel involved—arguably, even within marriage where one partner may sell their body for the long term financial security that comes with the marriage.

Section snippets

Sex tourism

With a few notable exceptions the topic [prostitution] has not been seen as one for serious intellectual inquiry until relatively recent times. For all the touted liberalism one is supposed to find in universities, academics have been amazingly provincial toward the topic (Symanski 1981: xii).

While the situation has improved somewhat over the last 15 years, a literature review quickly reveals the narrow scope of the majority of studies that might be considered as falling into the domain of sex

Conclusion

This article has reviewed the existing literature on sex tourism, suggesting that viewing the relationship of sex provider and tourist simply as a matter of monetary exchange is analytically inadequate. Data and reports from tourist-prostitute interactions in developing countries suggest that sex seekers often do not see themselves as sex tourists, and that their interaction is not based on monetary exchange. Once one moves away from the superficial definition of sex tourism as intimacy between

Acknowledgements

Parts of this paper were presented at the Pacific Rim Tourism 2000 Conference (Rotorua, New Zealand, November 1996).

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