In the twilight zone: child workers in the hotel, tourism and catering industry.

Abstract

Based on studies on labour in both the regular part of the tourist industry and in its twilight zone in four major tourist destinations where work was common - Kenya, Mexico, the Philippines and Sri Lanka - this report challenges many assumptions about involvement in the industry, and highlights the distorting effect of sensationalist reporting on child sex. Youthful good looks and charm are often key qualifications for jobs in bars and hotels, and employees may be exposed to sexual enticement, but many girls described as child prostitutes in journalistic accounts actually work in the twilight zone rather than in brothels. This book argues for a better understanding of the dynamics of employment and career paths of these young workers.