ECOT has long been involved in tackling the negative consequences of tourism from the perspective of the rights of vulnerable and affected communities. The proliferation of AIDS, especially in ‘preferred tourist destinations’, is an area that demands attention, and provides the challenge and opportunity to raise the multiple and inter-related questions of justice, development, gender equity and health through concrete grassroots programmes designed to combat the  impact of tourism and its pernicious effects on vulnerable populations. 

Tourism is one of the world´s largest industries, with tourist arrivals counted in the millions. This needs to be juxtaposed with the significant numbers of HIV and AIDS cases in many of the world´s poorest countries which are promoted as “exotic” and “paradise” destinations. Here, tourism is likely to provide a conducive environment for the spread of HIV and AIDS. 

However, the tourism industry generally has not taken up the challenge of addressing the threat of HIV/AIDS infection in an appropriate way and on a global scale.

It is difficult to obtain statistics on tourism and HIV/AIDS as governments in developing countries, reliant on the tourism industry to increase their economies, are  unwilling to acknowledge the link between HIV and tourism for fear of scaring away tourists, and lose income. Sex tourism accounts for up to 20% of worldwide travellers, according to the estimates of ECPAT. Adult sex tourism becomes a breeding ground for AIDS when tourists in a ‘holiday mood’ have unsafe sex with other tourists or nationals. A number of studies demonstrate that tourists while on holidays feel ‘free’ and are more prone to adopt risk-taking behaviours. Tourists have a higher ‘buying power’ that allows them to negotiate some more risky behaviours, like sexual intercourse without a condom, which can assist the spreading of sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS. 

When travelling, tourists, both male and female, seek to extract the most out of their trip and are keen on adventures and leisure to fulfill the paradise expectations promoted by the media and tourism industry. In such a setting, increased drug and alcohol use makes tourists more vulnerable to HIV infection as information about AIDS protection is often unavailable for them in tourism destinations.

Trafficked women and young men from the poorest regions are particularly vulnerable to HIV/AIDS in the tourism context, including in tourism destinations in new development corridors such as the Greater Mekong Subregion.

Given the spread of HIV-AIDS, and its damaging impact on families and communities, there is an urgent need for more ‘evidence-based’ research into this dimension of modern tourism to advocate for better policies from governments and the tourism industry. It is the responsibility of the tourism industry to provide information to communities where tourism takes place. Once again, the tourism industry has to respond to this challenge by acknowledging the link between HIV/AIDS and tourism in the first place, then by advocating for prevention in this area and by making sure that people affected by the disease get the support needed to face the difficulties it entails on a day-to-day basis.