Demand Side Of Sex Tourism In A Country With A Substantial Significance Of This Kind Of Tourism: Example Of Thailand

Abstract

In the article, selected issues were presented concerning the demand side of sex tourism in Thailand. This country is commonly considered as a destination where sex tourism is one of the leading types of tourism. In the study, theoretical issues connected with sex tourism were presented. It was demonstrated that this phenomenon, which raises a number of controversies, is of an interest to many researchers. In scientific literature, no unanimity is observed as regards the definition and classification of this phenomenon. In the further part of the article, a brief historical outline of prostitution and sex tourism in Thailand was provided. It was demonstrated in the article that sex tourism is a popular purpose of the arrivals of foreign tourists to Thailand. The last part of the article provides a characterization of three basic types of sex tourists who come to Thailand. The analysis presented in the article demonstrated an essential significance of sex tourism for the incoming tourist traffic in Thailand. It also pointed to its typical forms (mainly men’s trips). In the article, scientific publications and secondary sources, mainly of a statistical nature, were used.