Seminar on Prostitution in Tourism

Tourism networks can be taken advantage of by unscrupulous parties to conduct prostitution widely known as sex tourism, at hotels, nightlife spots, and recreation centers. Travelers constitute a potential users of this sex business wanting to try something new.

This observation was revealed at a national seminar entitled “Prostitution in Tourism” held at Udayana University recently. Keynote speaker at the seminar was Drs. Kuntjoro, MB.Sc., PhD., a lecturer at Department of Psychology, Gadjah Mada University.
Sex many a time becomes a potential area at tourist destinations due to a weakness of law enforcement, whilst the sex profession itself flourishes prolifically due to, in general, poverty, low educational levels, lacking of jobs, broken homes and consumerist factors. These factors often drive Indonesian tourism, which in the beginning was planned to sell the allurement of sun, beaches , panorama’s and cultural uniqueness, as if it was not complete if not spiced up with sex tourism.
This matter then presented sexual exploitation issues at tourism level as the central issue. Especially Bali as a world tourist destination, the sex business issue is obviously in opposition to cultural tourism that has been developed on the Island of the Gods. This is in keeping with the Law No.9/1990 on Tourism that strongly disapproves any kind of gambling, love affairs and sex tourism.
National Tourism is developed based on nature, cultural uniqueness and diversity along with having an obligation to preserve the environment, either physical or local socio-cultural and customs. However, the tourism network intersects highly with the sex business network or sex tourism. Such a phenomenon needs more careful handling in developing tourism in Bali in order for it not to be contaminated by sex or gambling. (BTN/para)