Sex Tourism

Sex Tourism

Introduction

Sex Tourism is increasingly spread from one country to the next, especially in developing countries, because the Tourism is one of the big parts revenue for many countries in the word today. This kind of industry has become well-known to the travelers based not by advertising and promotional campaigns, but word-of-mouth that boots-up the demand for tourism destinations. The Sex Tourism becomes the major issue that the world leaders have to step-in in order to prevent its global spread.

The goal of this research paper is to find out the impact of Sex Tourism on the economy and travelers to those countries. Also it observes the potential of Sex Tourism organizations.

What is Sex Tourism?

According to Oppermann, "sex tourism exists everywhere, in Europe, North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Australia or Oceania. 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."(Oppermann, 1999). Another definition is given by Quinion is "sex tourism in which men travel, usually to some developing country, for the express intention of obtaining sexual services, frequently with children." (Quinion, 1996). However, the definition of sex tourism shows that there is one thing in common: people are looking pleasures. They do not travel to their destinations to see the natural differences or the attractiveness. But their goal is to find whoever willingly accepts the prices they have offered, no matter whether their partners are children or adult, just as long as that person accepts the prices and provides services to them.

Pleasures and Prices

Most of the countries in Asia are called the developing country, such as these countries are in Cambodia, Thailand, China or Vietnam, some of the people there are extremely poor and they are not able to find a decent job. Therefore they have to sell their body for having sex with other people in order to support their family for living. For instance, Andrews writes in the journal that "UNICEF has estimated that there are more than one million child prostitute in Asia alone." (Andrews, Vol. 94, journal). Also, he states: "While child commercial sexual exploitation has customarily been associated with Asian countries such as Thailand, the Philippines, Sri Lanka and Taiwan, it has become a significant social problem in Africa and Latin America, and the trafficking of youth into the sex industry is on the rise in Eastern Europe." (Andrews, Vol. 94, journal). Every years for many visitors traveling from wealthy nations like the US, Japan, Germany, France and others to developing countries to pay for having sex with prostitutes or with someone that they are introduced to as part of their travel experience.

Impact on Economic

According to the journal, Andrews points out that "because poor countries are often under economic pressure to develop tourism, those governments often turn a blind eye toward this devastating problem [of commercial sexual exploitation of children] because of the income it produces." (Andrews, Vol. 94, Journal). The commercial sexual exploitation of children is happen almost every day in developing countries. Once the case has been exposed to the public, different branches in the government will cover it up in order to protect the visitors. The government mostly arrests the sex tour operators or the clients who has provided service to the visitors. The visitors to these countries become the primary source that they have spending as much as money they can while they stay there. Therefore, each year foreign travelers spent million of dollars into the developing countries economies for exchanging sexual services. Also, Andrews states "According to a 1998 report by the International Labour Organization (ILO), the money generated by sex tourism accounts for between two and fourteen percent of the Gross Domestic Product of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand. This has translated into an estimated $1.2 to $3.3 billion boost to Indonesia's economy each year. In Thailand, one of the most popular destinations for sex tourists worldwide, the Chulalongkorn University Political Economy Centre in Bangkok has estimated that prostitution accounts for at least two-thirds of the $33 to $44 billion brought in annually by Thai "underground business." (Andrews, Vol. 94, journal).

Morality Laws

I was born and raised in Vietnam. Recently I traveled back to Vietnam and I saw that sex tourism does exist in the Vietnam society, especially common in the big cities like Saigon. Even though the Vietnamese government tries to crack down on the prostitution business in the city light zones because it is absolutely illegal to operate prostitution in Vietnam. However, the laws seem very strictly enforced, but a traveler can enjoy sex service through the local people. Moreover, sex tourism is often protected by law enforcement agencies because a woman in that country will be arrested and prosecuted if she gets involves with prostitution. But on the other hand a traveler does has a right to pay a prostitute. A traveler can pay up to $100 to have a nice girl stay overnight in a hotel with full sexual services. Therefore, in some countries it is very difficult for the government to solve the problem. Because the local residents have no other way to make money from services and it helps to bring money into the country economy. In regard to the Sex Tourism, Andrews (Vol. 94, journal), explains that "In Thailand, prostitution was outlawed in 1960. Although the Thai penal Code recognizes prostitution as a crime, Thai business law treats it as a "personal" or "special" service, which is generally left alone by Thai police. Costa Rica, an increasingly popular sex tourist destination, has specific laws that enable the government to criminally prosecute child sex offenders. While these laws are relatively stringent, they are rarely enforced." (note. 426). Another ridiculous case is that the victims who provide sex services are getting caught and imprisoned, instead of the traveler sex buyer. Furthermore, in the journal Andrews states "When the host countries do apply laws against the sexual exploitation of children. The application of the laws