sex tour: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (Low-frequency, specialised term)Formal (in academic, journalistic, or critical discourse), often used in a pejorative or descriptive-critical context.
Quick answer
What does “sex tour” mean?
A holiday, especially to a foreign country, where the primary purpose is to pay for sex.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A holiday, especially to a foreign country, where the primary purpose is to pay for sex.
A form of tourism explicitly organised around seeking commercial sexual encounters, often associated with traveling to countries with lower costs of living and/or less stringent enforcement of prostitution laws.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical difference; the compound noun is used identically.
Connotations
Equally strong negative connotations in both varieties. May be slightly more frequent in British media discourse due to historical patterns of tourism to South-East Asia.
Frequency
Low frequency in both, but appears in similar contexts: sociological studies, investigative journalism, and critiques of global tourism.
Grammar
How to Use “sex tour” in a Sentence
[Tourist/Group] + went on/organised + a sex tour + to/in [Destination]A sex tour + targeting/exploiting + [Group]Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used except in critical CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) reports or ethical tourism advisories.
Academic
Used in sociology, anthropology, gender studies, and tourism studies to describe and critique a specific phenomenon.
Everyday
Very rare in polite conversation. Would be used in discussions of news reports or ethical issues.
Technical
Used as a specific term in reports by NGOs (e.g., UNICEF, Human Rights Watch) and international bodies combating human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “sex tour”
Strong
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “sex tour”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “sex tour”
- Using it as a neutral term for any holiday with a romantic/sexual component (incorrect).
- Spelling as one word: 'sextour' (incorrect).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
They are closely related. 'Sex tour' typically refers to a specific instance or package (a tour). 'Sex tourism' is the broader industry or practice encompassing such tours.
No. It is almost always used critically or descriptively within a critical framework. Using it neutrally could imply endorsement of the practice.
Varies by jurisdiction. Participating in one may be legal in the tourist's home country, but activities within the tour (like prostitution with minors) are often illegal both abroad and at home under extraterritorial laws.
Historically, certain areas of South-East Asia, Eastern Europe, and Latin America have been highlighted in reports as destinations, often linked to economic disparity and lax enforcement.
A holiday, especially to a foreign country, where the primary purpose is to pay for sex.
Sex tour is usually formal (in academic, journalistic, or critical discourse), often used in a pejorative or descriptive-critical context. in register.
Sex tour: in British English it is pronounced /ˈsɛks ˌtʊə/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈsɛks ˌtʊr/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'SEX' + 'TOUR' = a TOUR where SEX is the main attraction and commodity, not museums or beaches.
Conceptual Metaphor
TOURISM IS COMMODIFICATION (of bodies and experiences).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'sex tour' most appropriately used?