{"id":5916,"date":"2020-05-29T16:19:15","date_gmt":"2020-05-29T08:19:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www2.ift.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/?p=5916"},"modified":"2020-05-29T16:43:01","modified_gmt":"2020-05-29T08:43:01","slug":"is-macao-ready-for-a-legalised-sex-trade","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.utm.edu.mo\/NewsPortal\/is-macao-ready-for-a-legalised-sex-trade\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Macao ready for a legalised sex trade?"},"content":{"rendered":"\u4e2d\u6587\u6458\u8981 \/ Summary in Chinese<\/span>\n

Prostitution activity in Macao is generally regarded by locals as a \u201cpermanent\u201d feature of the local surroundings: the idea of eliminating it through legislation is considered \u201cinfeasible\u201d. That thought-provoking conclusion is part of a study looking into locals\u2019 attitudes towards prostitution activity in Macao.<\/p>\n

The research involved Dr. Joe Yong Zhou \u2013 currently an Assistant Professor at IFTM \u2013 in partnership with Dr. Yan Libo from the Macau University of Science and Technology, and Dr. Bill Xu from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. It was based on data collected via a telephone survey completed by 358 Macao residents.<\/p>\n

The researchers concluded that \u201cthe overall attitude of respondents toward sex tourism in Macao shows a certain degree of tolerance, which somewhat serves as encouragement for the Government to take measures to manage this sector\u201d.<\/p>\n

The scholars said that, based on their findings, adopting an approach of legalisation regarding prostitution in Macao would be \u201cslightly better\u201d than opting for a ban. \u201cWith appropriate regulations, sex tourism can be developed in a beneficial manner by eliminating human trafficking and forced sex, preventing threats to public health, and satisfying various stakeholders,\u201d they argued. The researchers mentioned other international destinations had pursued such paths.<\/p>\n

The comments were featured in the research paper \u201cResidents\u2019 attitudes toward prostitution in Macau\u201d. It was published in 2018 in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism.<\/p>\n

Prostitution is not illegal in Macao as long as an individual selling sexual services does so in a private place. But several activities related to the selling of sexual services are illegal. Soliciting for customers is a crime and organised prostitution is also illegal.<\/p>\n

Striking a balance<\/strong><\/p>\n

The study findings pointed to a positive relationship between \u201cacceptance of sex tourism\u201d and a \u201ctolerance\u201d among locals of certain negative effects related to tourism, the researchers stated. Such tolerance was associated with locals\u2019 perception of their general quality of life, they added.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe existence of a link between acceptance of sex tourism and tolerance of negative impact is of theoretical importance to the governance of the sex trade,\u201d the scholars wrote. Residents\u2019 degree of either \u201cacceptance\u201d or \u201ctolerance\u201d of sex tourism might be heightened by \u201cthe elimination or alleviation of the social problems that revolve around the illegal sex trade, such as human trafficking, forced sex, illegal inns, illegal promotion of prostitution, and threats to security and public health.\u201d<\/p>\n

The researchers said their findings indicated Macao locals appeared to be more concerned about the social problems related to prostitution than to moral issues linked to such activity. \u201cIn this sense, prostitution-related social problems are preoccupations for the Government, but the relevant social problems are difficult to eliminate or alleviate without dealing with the source, that is, the illegal sex trade,\u201d said the scholars.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Government must face the dilemma of implementing measures to administrate\u201d control over \u201cthe problematic area of the sex trade\u201d in order to \u201calleviate the related social problems and decrease relevant criminal activities,\u201d they added.<\/p>\n

The study also found that cultural attitudes had a significant effect on locals\u2019 perceptions of sex tourism and prostitution. Those espousing less diversified cultural values were more likely to oppose such activities. Such influence \u201covershadows the supposed roles of education and age\u201d on \u201cacceptance\u201d of prostitution activity, the authors wrote.<\/p>\n

The scholars said their research aimed to serve \u201cas an initial step in understanding the opinions of the local community on sex tourism.\u201d They pointed out that, similar to other international destinations, prostitution in Macao had been \u201cflourishing\u201d in recent years in line with a rapid increase in the volume of tourism. In Macao\u2019s case, prostitution had been fuelled also by the growth of the city as a casino market, said the researchers.<\/p>\n

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More info<\/strong><\/p>\n

<\/div>\n
The researchers<\/div>\nDr. Yan Libo is an Associate Professor at the Macau University of Science and Technology. He holds a PhD from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His areas of research expertise cover visitor experience, destination marketing, urban tourism, rural tourism, and tourism history.<\/p>\n

Dr. Bill Xu is a Senior Lecturer at the School of Professional Education and Executive Development of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He has a PhD from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His research interests include consumer behaviour and consumption experience in tourism and hospitality, tourism psychology and sociology, tour operations and wholesaling, and tourism and hospitality business in China.<\/p>\n

Dr. Joe Yong Zhou is an Assistant Professor at IFTM. He holds a PhD from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University. His research interests include tourism impact analysis, destination development, MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) and event management, and tourist behaviour analysis.
\n<\/div>\n

The paper<\/div>\n– The paper
\nYan Libo, Bill Xu Jing and Joe Zhou Yong: \u201cResidents\u2019 attitudes toward prostitution in Macau\u201d, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, Volume 26, Issue 2, pages 205-220, 2018.
\nhttp:\/\/dx.doi.org\/10.1080\/09669582.2017.1338293<\/a>
\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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