Sex Tourism: Definitions and Awareness

• In Event: Attitudes and perceptions about human trafficking

Abstract

Sex tourism has become a global phenomenon in the tourism industry where individuals often travel for the purpose of sex and romance. The term ‘sex tourism’ is a euphemism (Jeffers, 2010) often used to describe prostitution on a transnational level. Academic research and data on sex tourism are limited but highlights the idea that tourists (males and females) travel to exotic destinations in search of sex, romance and long term relationships. Sex tourism is the practice of participating in PAID sexual encounters with locals while on vacation. This practice is prevalent in regions where laws are absent, relaxed or not rigorously enforced. The purpose of this study was to explore and measure general attitudes, perceptions and knowledge regarding sex tourism. Participants were asked to define sex tourism, compare it to other forms of sexual exploitation (prostitution and human trafficking) and estimate its prevalence. Scenarios were created that depicted examples of the different definitions of sex tourism from literature to look for consensus. Finally, questions were asked about whether sex tourism is occurring in Las Vegas, one of the most likely sex tourism destinations in the US. Over 400 University of Nevada, Las Vegas undergraduate students were surveyed.

Authors

• Carolyn Willis-Casey, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

• Margaret Alexis Kennedy, University of Nevada, Las Vegas