La Strada Documentation Center

Exotic or Erotic ? Contrasting Images for Defining Destinations

Document number
1417
Date
2004
Title
Exotic or Erotic ? Contrasting Images for Defining Destinations
Author/publisher
Bruce Prideaux, Jerome Agrusa, Jon G. Donlon and Chris Curran, Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, Vol. 9, No. 1, March 2004
Availability
View/save PDF version of this document
Document type(s)
Research/Study/Analysis,
Keywords
HIV/AIDS, Thailand, Child Trafficking, Child Prostitution, Child Pornography, Women's rights; Women; Control and regulation of prostitution, Protection, Punishable forms of prostitution, Prostitution; Sex work; Unionisation of sex workers; Clients, Abolitionism; New Abolitionism; Prohibitionism; Regulationism,
Summary
Sex and sexuality are powerful human emotions that have been exploited by the tourismindustry to develop aspects of destination image. Where destinations have sought toexploit sex by use of the erotic as an appealing image, sex becomes a featured sellingpoint and may inadvertently become more important than other elements of the destination’spreferred image as a result of image capture where the preferred image isdisplaced by a less preferred image. This paper examines the potential for image confusionwhen the erotic is used alongside the exotic as part of destination image. In particular,Thailand’s preferred image as an exotic destination and the nation’s unofficial image asa location for erotic activities are considered. Marketing implications are examined, asare potential measures that may be implemented to soften or even eliminate potentiallynegative impacts that are presently associated with Thailand’s reputation as a center forsex tourism.
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