By Kotie Geldenhuys
Photos courtesy of Pixabay and Pexels
Tourism plays an important role in boosting local economies and creating opportunities for communities, but it can also reveal a darker side of the industry. People travel for various reasons: most do so for business, leisure, adventure or relaxation. Yet some people cross borders with far more sinister intentions, including the exploitation of vulnerable children, a crime commonly referred to as child sex tourism.
Globalisation has turned the world into a “global village,” fuelling a surge in the tourism industry as governments ease border controls to attract more visitors. While this influx has boosted the economies of many developing countries, thanks to the spending power of foreign tourists, it has also cast a dark shadow over the industry.
The rapid growth of tourism has coincided with a disturbing rise in the commercial sexual exploitation of children, particularly child prostitution and child sex tourism.
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[This is only an extract of an article published in Servamus: May 2026. This article is available for purchase.]