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etween tourism and prostitution are most notorious
in Southeast Asia. Even here, though, other
factors �including the Vietnam War, a perceived
need for the tourism dollar and culturally specific
views of the subservience of women) must be
considered. Such caveats should discourage simplistic
assertions that `tourism causes prostitution'
or women `are forced by poverty' to sell their
bodies. Even in Thailand, where `sex tourism' is
highly commoditised, studies demonstrate considerable
room for ambiguity in the relationships of
female prostitutes with their farang clients. But
prostitution is undoubtedly extensive. In Thailand
in 1988 there were up to one million working adult
female prostitutes, mostly catering for Thai clients,
and more with previous involvement in the
industry. The sex industry is also growing in South
Korea and the Philippines. This is a matter of both
moral debate and practical concern, given the
spread of AIDS. Although tourism does not cause
prostitution, sex tourism undoubtedly exacerbates
the situation.
According to this perspective, this is not a form
of `special interest' tourism but an initially instrumental
relationship of host and guest, changeable
over time and place and often occurring
within the same organisational form and
infrastructure as other types of tourism. However,
if one brackets the problematic issue of
tourists' motives, the nature of prostitution in such
places as Thailand might be considered an extreme
version of `sex tourism' for two reasons: first, it is
often quite specifically organised, across national
boundaries, to bring in self-selected parties of �in
this case) male clients for the primary purpose of
meeting male or female prostitutes, and second,
there is an increasingly organised trade in child
prostitution �allegedly to reduce the risk of
contracting AIDS), which has prompted universal
condemnation. By shifting attention from the
morality of adult prostitution to the institutional
arrangements through which prostitution is perpetuated,
the possibilities of control become clearer.
Indeed, this has been the approach of several
prominent organisations opposed to child prostitution,
including the Ecumenical Coalition on
Third World Tourism and the Campaign to
End Child Prostitution in the Third World, with
support from such organisations as Tourism
Concern in the United Kingdom and elsewhere.
By the end of 1996, more than a dozen countries
had passed legislation allowing for the prosecution
of nationals for offences committed against children
while overseas. The details vary from country
to country and, because of the practicalities,
prosecutions are likely to be few. Nevertheless,
such legislation may reinforce public opinion and
prompt stern and consistent action against offenders
in countries where offences occur, which is
ultimately where the remedies lie. It is in the longterm
interests of the tourism industry that such
attempts should succeed.
Further reading
Black, M. �1995) In the Twilight Zone, Geneva:
International Labour Office. �A study of child
workers in the hotel, tourism and catering
industry.)
Cohen, E. �1993) `Open-ended prostitution as a
skilful game of luck: opportunity, risk and
security among tourist-oriented prostitutes in a
Bangkok soi', in M. Hitchcock, V.T. King and
M. Parnwell �eds) Tourism in South-East Asia,
London: Routledge, 155±78 �An account of a
group of prostitutes working from bars and
coffee shops in Bangkok.)
Hall, C.M. �1992) `Sex tourism in South-East Asia,'
in D. Harrison �ed.) Tourism and the Less Developed
Countries, Chichester: Wiley, 64±74. �A review of
the evolution of tourism-oriented prostitution in
the region.)
Meyer, W. �1988) Beyond the Mask, SaarbruÈcken:
Verlag Breitenbach. �A detailed account of
prostitution in Thailand.)
Truong, Thanh-dam �1990) Sex, Money and Morality,
London: Zed Books. �A study of prostitution and
tourism in Southeast Asia.)
Seychelles
Seychelles 531
DAVID HARRISON, UK
Tourism in the Indian Ocean microstate of the
Seychelles is a tightly controlled, internationally
focused, up-market industry with policies to protect
extensive marine parks and nature reserves �40 per