Journal of Tourism & Hospitality
Open Access

Abstract

Sex Tourism in the Philippines: A Basis for Planning and Policy Making and Amendments

Mark Gabriel Wagan Aguilar*

This study aimed to know the awareness and perceptions of people toward sex tourism in Makati City, Philippines where tourism and business collides that resulted to presence of prostitution. The researcher assessed the understanding of people on the concept of sex tourism, their awareness on the presence of the said practice in Makati City and on policies concerned with it, people’s belief towards the reasons for purchasing and selling sexual activities, and their opinion towards harm caused by sexual activities to buyers and sellers. This study showed that people understand what sex tourism is, and they are very much aware of its existence in Makati City, however, they don’t know how to put end to it with beliefs that business operators has strong connections with the government. Despite of open-mindedness, people are still aware about the illegality of this practice in the Philippines, but they don’t know details of laws concerned with it. Although there are other reasons for selling and purchasing sexual activities, people see poverty as the number one motivation why people choose to work as prostitutes, while Tourists’ demand is the reason why there is a presence of prostitution in the city, and regardless of being profitable, people still believed sex tourism should be stopped due to extreme harm it causes to buyers and sellers. The researcher concludes that this study is a good foundation for solutions to solve the problem. This will help concerned organizations and people to think of ways on how to stop sex tourism in the Philippines, starting with prostitution in Makati City. Solutions based on ideas of the authority should be shared to local residents including law enforcers and tourists through Professional Training Programs so that people as one nation could achieve the goal, whether that goal is to put end or to legalize Sex Tourism in the Philippines.

Published Date: 2019-10-24; Received Date: 2019-09-03