Tourism and sexual behavior: experiences of youths in Goa, India

Usha Ram, International Institute for Population Sciences (IIPS)

Goa has become small paradise for the international tourists and has witnessed multifold increase in its volume – thanks to state recognizing tourism as industry, WTO projecting Goa as the most preferred destination for international tourists, easy access to cheaper sex and liquor, safe surroundings without fear of any terrorist attack. Government fears that Goa is in danger of replacing Bangkok as Asia’s prime sex resort hitting the youth hardest. The study brings out that majority of the youths involving in tourism related services were school dropouts. Youths indulge in sex-tourism as a sense of duty to their parents so to share family burden. Many youths dream of luxury lifestyle as fed to them through mass media end up in sex tourism. Besides educational status, their life style (including drug abuse, fondness for foreign products etc.) too appeared to be an important reason for their involvement in the sex-tourism.