For Researchers
For Researchers, Journalists, Academics
Methodology, citation format, dataset access, and contact information for researchers using World Adult Guide in academic or journalistic work.
About this site
World Adult Guide (worldadultguide.com) is a harm-reduction and informational resource on adult tourism worldwide. The site combines: country-by-country regulatory and pricing information; verified named-venue indices; harm-reduction guides covering health, safety, legal exposure; demographic-specific guides; and tools for trip planning.
Citation format
For academic / journalistic citation, use the format:
World Adult Guide. (2026). [Page title]. Retrieved [Date] from https://worldadultguide.com/[path]
For DOI-style stability, page URLs are persistent and version-controlled. If citing a specific data figure, note the page version (visible at page footer once batch 21 is fully implemented).
Methodology
Information presented on the site draws from: (1) public regulatory documents (national criminal codes, court rulings, NGO reports); (2) community-sourced pricing data (forum aggregations, review-platform compilations); (3) industry-published statistics (Seeking-Arrangement, platform user counts, etc.); (4) journalistic and academic literature where applicable; (5) on-the-ground verification through editorial review.
Pricing data confidence
Pricing data on country and city pages reflects typical / median rates from community sources, cross-checked against multiple data points. Confidence intervals are not formally calculated; specific figures should be treated as indicative rather than precise. Real-world variance is substantial (factor of 2-3x between budget and premium tier within a market).
Regulatory information
Legal status summaries are based on public statute / court rulings. Enforcement reality differs from formal regulation; we attempt to characterise both. Specific country pages note distinctions between statute and practical enforcement.
Venue information
The named-venue index (1,200+ venues in venues.ts) draws from country guide content authored or verified through editorial review. Venue operational status changes; specific venue references should be cross-checked against current operating status before research-citing.
Dataset access
Structured datasets available for researcher use:
- Venue index — 1,200+ named adult-services venues across 50+ countries with type, city, district, price-band classification.
- Guest-friendly hotels — ~90 named hotel properties with guest-policy rating and tier classification.
- Event surge calendar — major events with adult-tourism demand implications.
- Legal status — see src/data/legal-status.ts in the public GitHub repo.
- Country briefs — see src/data/country-briefs.ts.
Dataset usage: free for academic and journalistic use with citation. Commercial use requires permission.
Limitations
The site\'s information has specific limitations researchers should understand:
- Pricing data is community-sourced, not independently verified through structured sampling.
- Regulatory information is cross-checked against public sources but is not legal advice.
- Geographic coverage varies — Western markets are more thoroughly covered than some emerging markets.
- Editorial perspective is harm-reduction-oriented; the site does not endorse the underlying activity but treats it as occurring regardless and emphasises informed practice.
- Temporal validity — pricing and regulatory information can shift rapidly; specific figures may be 1-2 years dated by time of research-citing.
Contact for researchers
For research-specific queries, methodology clarifications, or dataset access beyond what\'s publicly available, contact the editorial team via the site\'s contact page. We respond to academic and journalistic inquiries promptly.
Editorial position
The site\'s editorial position: adult tourism happens at substantial volume globally. Informed practice — by clients, providers, regulators, and researchers — produces better outcomes than uninformed practice. The site exists to provide that information accessibly. We don\'t endorse the underlying activity; we don\'t condemn it; we describe what occurs and what reduces harm.
Acknowledgments
The site builds on work by sex worker advocacy organisations including SWOP, SWARM, English Collective of Prostitutes, NSWP, and many others. Specific harm-reduction frameworks draw on work by 56 Dean Street, Antidote, San Francisco AIDS Foundation, ACON, and others. Academic work by Belinda Brooks-Gordon, Teela Sanders, and others informs the legal-regulatory framework analysis.