Sexual relationships and trekking guides

Authors: Simkhada, P. and van Teijlingen, E.

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Place of Publication: Cheltenham

Abstract:

People working in the tourism industry often have short-term relationship with tourists, but some of these relationships are more intense than others. These relationships are usually transactional, including the transfer of money, information and sex. There is a wealth of research into tourism and sex workers and sex tourists. It is worth remembering that sexual encounters can occur between tourist workers and tourists without this being planned sex tourism. This contribution highlights one specific group of people working in the tourism industry: male trekking guides in Nepal. The concept ‘situational disinhibition’ is used to analyse and help explain the increased likelihood of sexual interactions between those on a trek.

Source: Manual