Sex tourism

Sex tourism is often thought of as travel which occurs with the prime purpose of having sexual encounter whilst away, and this usually on a commercial basis. Invariably sex workers and tourists are unequal in terms of economic power, though this is not overtly acknowledged and the relationship is often rationalized as a ‘natural’ one, readily and freely entered into. Thailand has a long-established reputation for sex tourism, both heterosexual and homosexual (Sanders, 2002). Homosexuality is not illegal and there is a considerable degree of toleration of the commercial venues (‘host bars’, bars offering ‘go-go’ dancing and sex shows, saunas, massage parlours) and services provided for both heterosexual and homosexual clients. Sexuality is fluid in this culture and the polarization into hetero and homo is not prevalent. Participation in homosexual acts is not particularly proscribed, provided it is discreet. Many male sex workers do not associate their male sexual activity with homosexuality and continue to have a sex life with women. Most clients are domestic and it would appear that tourists are opportunistic users of an existing sex industry (McKercher and Bauer, 2003) though ‘the male sex industry in Pattaya also depends heavily on overseas tourism’ (McCamish, 1999, p. 169). As well as the gay scene in Bangkok, Chiang Mai’s (Thailand’s second largest city) gay nightlife – although smaller – is focused around male prostitution, with few non-prostitution gay venues (De Lind van Wijngaarden, 1999). This, too, is sustained by demand from tourists, especially from the rest of South-east Asia and Japan. Pattaya, a beach resort south-east of Bangkok, is well known for a ready availability of male commercial sex workers (McCamish, 1999). In some cases, long-termrelationships between workers and foreign tourists have been established – either for a lengthy period over the duration of the trip or on a regular recurring annual basis. Relationships were often perceived by both tourist and local as involving affection, emotional attachment and commitment, rather than as being sex-based.

The Czech capital of Prague has been labelled ‘the preferred site for Austrian gay male sex tourism’ (Bunzl, 2000, p. 70). A study of this tourism showed that most such tourists were middle-aged, and without any previous familiarity with Central and Eastern European countries. Many of the Czech ‘boys’ did not perceive themselves to be gay and the Austrian and German clients were reluctant to see the ‘boys’ as prostitutes or to admit to the possibility that money was a significant factor in the relationship. They regarded the Czechs as exotic but innocent ‘others’, and as idealized locals who were untainted as yet by the capitalist and consumerist West, and who could show uninhibited affection and have unrestrained sex.