Present relations with female tourists

young female tourists, and the majority of female tourists who are initiating relations with beach boys are also relatively young. Statements of beach boys, people in tourism sector and participant observation confirmed that fact. CBB²⁴ said that ‘it is room boys and waiters in large-scale hotels sleep with grannies now. We don’t sleep with grannies.

We have beautiful girls from different countries’. A normal restaurant worker also stated that ‘CBB¹⁶ is often coming here with girls. Last night too came with a pretty Russian girl. Can’t get why such beautiful girls being with those guys’. Almost all people in the tourism sector and some non-tourism people in Hikkaduwa also similarly responded that at present beach boys are mostly with young beautiful girls. In addition, during the fieldwork too I could not observe any elderly female tourist walking along the beach hand in hand with young beach boys. All female spouses of former beach boys were also younger or a few years older than them. But, except 2 women, mostly it cannot be noticed because beach boys looked more mature than those ladies.

2.5.2 Present relations with female tourists

As far as the relationships between beach boys and female tourists are considered, it can be said that at present most of their relationships are not merely sexual or transactional. With regard to beach boys, their motivation to be with female tourists is economical, but rather than short-term monetary gains they expect long-term success through international marriages. At the same time, most of them enjoy sexual experiences with female tourists. They brag about their popularity among female tourists and sexual conquest with those women. Generally, one of the initial steps towards an intimate relationship, which extends to even an international marriage is sexual satisfaction. Boys in the age group of 16-20 (N 4) said they are not sexually engaged with female tourists. Actually they were between 16-18 years, small built boys, and not yet possessed the typical masculine image of beach boys. They were hanging out with female tourists in a friendly manner, but there were signs that they would follow the way of elder beach boys. Two boys in the age group of 21-25 also stated that they had no sexual involvement with female tourists. Beside them, the rest of the beach boys (N21) stated that they have had or are having sexual relationships with female tourists. But, the opportunities they get to initiate company with female tourists vary in terms of the activities they are engaged in. For instance, guides and marine sports’

instructors get more opportunities as they get more time to be with women and get to know each other. Beach boys, as well as many people in the tourism sector also stated that teaching surfing reinforces sexual involvements. When they teach surfing, close body contacts occur and then such contacts extend to sexual and later to intimate relationships. Some said that tourist women admire beach boys’ athletic skills as well.

skills. Women fall for that and even beach boys show off their skills so as to get women’s attraction’.

On the other hand, restaurant workers get less time to hang out with female tourists, as they have to work in the restaurant on regular basis. With regard to marine sports instructors, they finish their work by the evening or sometimes they do not work whole day, then they can go for dinners, clubbing or even accompany a tour with them. But, restaurant workers have to work until late night. Some mentioned that even if they could get a girl, she might find another boy, as he cannot accompany her whenever she needs.

FBB¹ put it like this.

‘We should have time to devote for them. But, this job doesn’t allow doing that. Once I got a German girl. She was staying here. But, she wanted me to go with her when she is going out, clubs, dinner outs and even travel to other places with her. But, I should be here all the time. I’m the one who is looking after everything here, and I get only one day off. So, couple of days she went alone and one day said she found another boy’.

When I met him (FBB¹) again during later field trip he was engaged to a woman from Finland. Illustrating the love story, he stated that ‘she repeatedly visited 3 times in last year, rented a room here and stayed. But, finally I happened to quit the job as she also wanted to spend more time with me, get to know each other well before making the decision to get married’. However, this story implies an important aspect of female tourists’ relationship with beach boys: that female tourists do not expect merely a physical connection from beach boys. If the first German woman expected only sex, she could have had sex with him, instead of asking him to accompany her. Even the Finnish woman wanted to spend more time with him to get to know each other before getting married. At the same time, it implies that there are many beach boys around, each prepared for a relationship with a female tourist. Once FBB¹ could not accompany her, she found another one soon. But, generally beach boys do not approach a girl who is already going out with another beach boy, and if they did so, it may lead to a big argument as well. But if the girl chose another boy over the one who she is already hanging out with, they do not make it a big issue, as it is the woman’s decision. But, most of the time such arguments or clashes cannot be seen.

With regard to female tourists, only a fewer number of women profess an interest in sexually involving with beach boys. Sanchez (2000) stated that even in the Caribbean, only one third of women engage in any form of sexual relationship with local men.

Beach boys in Hikkaduwa also indicated that it is mostly single travellers or girls who travel in a small group incline to involve with them. CBB¹² stated that ‘It’s mostly girls coming here alone, or some with 2, 3 girlfriends. It’s like this, 7 out of 10 girls at least talk with us. Some just like to get to know us, as they have travelled a lot; they may have heard about or have seen beach boys in other countries. But, only 2 or 3 out of them may have sex with us and go to an extending friendship or other kind of relationship’.

Further, Herold et al (2001) offered typologies of female tourists who involve with beach boys/local men in the Dominican Republic as 1) First time romantic tourists (who do not anticipate such involvement ahead of time and once they become involved, view their relationship as romantic rather than sexual), 2) First time sex tourists (who anticipated involvement and focused on sexual aspects), 3) Romantic returnees (who had a romantic relationship with a local man and make return visits as they wish to maintain that love relationship), 4) Committed sex tourists (who return with the intention of maximizing their sexual pleasure, but mostly with one regular partner) and 5) Adventurer sex tourists (who prefer to have casual sex with a number of partners).

Authors indicates most of the female tourists to the Dominican Republic are first time romantic tourists or romantic returnees, and the women included in the rest of the categories are the minority (Herold et al., 2001).

As far as beach boys’ and female tourists’ relationship in Hikkaduwa is concerned, it can be said that except ‘adventurer sex tourists’, all the other types of female tourists were reported. Women who visit fully prepared for sexual adventures and sleep with a number of different partners during their sojourn were not mentioned. Rather almost all were self-identified as ‘romantic returnees’ or ‘first time romantic tourists’. Since this study mainly focused on beach boys from the host side, female tourists were not thoroughly interviewed except 7 female spouses and 6 female tourists who are currently having relationships with beach boys. All the spouses claimed that they had been

‘romantic returnees’ until the marriage. Among unmarried girls, 2 said they are ‘first time romantic tourists’ and 2 stated they are ‘romantic returnees’, and none of them mentioned that they are with beach boys for sexual pleasures. In discussing their relationship with female tourists, beach boys also demonstrated that all the female tourists who become involved with them do not expect sexual pleasures from them.

‘Yes some want to have sex with us, but not everyone needs that. Some girls only want to drink and talk, spend some relaxing, cool time with us. Some like only kissing. Some kiss when they get drunk, but don’t go to bed with us. Girls, who don’t want to have sex, keep their limits and enjoy having company with us’

Thus, it can be said that another category of female tourists can be found in Hikkaduwa, ‘companion tourists’, a new concept of ‘companion tourism’ for the tourists who prefer companionship, neither love nor sex (Herold et al., 2001). At the same time beach boys indicated that the minority of female tourists comes only expecting sexual pleasures from them. Few mentioned that some women in married couples also become sexually involved with them, coming out while husband is in the hotel room or having made the husband drunk. Three other people in the tourism sector also mentioned the same. But, considering as a whole, some mentioned as below:

CBB²¹also said that ‘it is not like we go to a room, have sex and then everything is over.

Sometimes they don’t get emotionally involved, but we hang out, travel together, and maintain a good friendship even after they leave. Some of them call us, check on us. It’s not about money too. Mostly they don’t send us money if it is not a love affair or she is not my girlfriend’.

Hence, that type of sexual relationships cannot be defined as merely sex tourism or romance tourism, which is discussed in this study, and rather can be considered somewhat similar to ‘friendship with benefits’. Therefore, it can be said that there are sub-categories in the group of ‘committed sex tourists’, specifically of those who have sexual relationships with one partner. Therefore, it can be said that relationships between beach boys and female tourists are not merely about sexual satisfaction as widely perceived until now. Most relationships are based on an emotional involvement;

that involvement can be a romantic, intimate feeling or a feeling like friends. Especially since there are successful international marriages, and beach boys are also focusing on marriages; most of their relationships are identified as closer to romance tourism as described in this study. As they intend to establish a relationship, which develops to an international marriage, somewhere in the relationship beach boys may strive to initiate or make women feel romance other than providing them sexual pleasures. The next section discusses their international marriages, motivations and the process until the marriage in further detail.