The Negative Impacts of Sex Tourism on Travel Industry and Society

The Negative Impacts of Sex Tourism on Travel Industry and Society
Kimberley Look Sao Wai
Stephanie Poh Ping Hui
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Abstract
Sex tourism has been evolving over the years to become the established and lucrative industry it is in the present day. With over six destinations all over the globe known for their sex activities and services, the demand and supply are non-seasonal and not affected by inflations and economic downturns. However, sex tourism carries many negative impacts that adversely affect the travel industry and the society worldwide, namely encouraging the spread of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), causing discrimination, posing moral concerns and leading to crimes and child prostitution. Even though supporters of the industry may argue that the business is indeed beneficial to the economy, this trade remains non-sustainable in the long run due to the detrimental health effects and risks it poses on the sex workers, sex tourists, as well as the environment that such services are performed in. Therefore, the government is strongly advocated to minimize the implications of the industry, or otherwise gradually eradicate the entire trade.

Introduction
Women parading their bodies in windows resembling fish tanks down the streets of Amsterdam or shooting ping-pong balls out from their vaginas to entertain a crowd in Thailand’s notorious ping-pong show are all results of an established sex tourism industry worldwide. This industry is defined as travel with the main purpose of sex, whether involving sexual intercourse, voyeurism or observation . Due to the nature of sex tourism, the key players in the industry are very broad and indistinct; it encompasses the GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transexual) community, prostitutes, escorts, and child sex workers. Nevertheless, the primary service provider in this industry is female sex workers, who provide

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