Exploring the Relationship between Beach Boys and Tourists Using Host-Guest Theory: The Case of Bentota, Sri Lanka

Abstract

Beach boys in the informal tourism sector are often identified as sex workers whose behavior affect the tourists’ experience either positively or negatively. The relationships developed between the beach boys and the tourists constitute important phenomenon in tourism host-guest theory. Thus, the paper brings light to the relationship between beach boys and international tourists visiting Sri Lanka along with their contributions and hindrances towards the tourism development of the country. Further, the findings are compared with similar international cases to grasp a comparative standpoint. The sample consisted of eleven beach boys in Bentota National Holiday resort, whose interviews were recorded, transcribed and analyzed through qualitative content analysis method using NVivo 11 tool. The results indicate that the beach boys make diverse attempts to initiate relationships with the tourists by being salespersons, guides, companions, and sex partners while some beach boys eventually become the life partners of the foreign female tourists extending the horizons of host-guest theory. The study further discusses the theoretical and managerial implications of the findings.

Keywords: beach boys, content analysis, host-guest theory, informal tourism sector