The world’s second-largest country in Europe, Norway boasts some of the best beaches in the world, a stunning landscape and a strong history of tourism.
But in recent years, the country has been hit hard by the rise of ‘sex tourism’ that sees foreign tourists spend as much as $30,000 to $50,000 for a night of sex and cuddling at the country’s largest island.
The country has seen a rise in ‘sex tourist’ activity, according to a report by the Norwegian tourism board in September.
It said the number of reported incidents was increasing.
In 2018, Norway saw more than 10,000 sex crimes, which were up from about 4,000 the previous year.
The number of sex tourists in the country is estimated to be more than 3 million people.
The Norwegian tourism agency said the increase in sex tourism was being fuelled by “unhealthy sex tourism”, which involved foreigners who wanted to experience sex tourism.
“It’s the first time I’ve been on a tour where there was actually a negative effect,” a 23-year-old Norwegian tourist who wanted only to be identified as Sjost told Al Jazeera.
“I can’t even explain it to myself.”
The sex tourism industry is not confined to the capital Oslo.
In September, a 24-year old Norwegian woman was assaulted on a bus in Keflavik, another tourist destination.
The attack was caught on video by the woman’s friend, who posted it on Facebook.
The attacker was also reportedly caught on camera having sex with another woman on the bus.
The victim told police she was raped, but the woman refused to press charges.
She was then assaulted by two men in a different bus and later left to hospital.
In October, an Icelandic woman was attacked by three men in the same bus, while her friend filmed the attack on her phone.
The police said the attack was not a random attack, and that the victim was assaulted because she was dressed in a traditional Norwegian dress.
In December, a British tourist was robbed and stabbed by three guys in the town of Jørrebro, Norway.
Police are investigating.
In November, an Italian tourist was stabbed to death by a group of five men in Lofoten, in the North Sea, a tourist attraction popular with international holidaymakers.
The victims were attacked by two more men who stole a bike belonging to the Italian tourist.
The Italian government launched a probe into the incident, but a spokesperson said the victims’ death was unrelated to the attacks.
In February 2018, a 26-year to 34-yearold British tourist died after being stabbed in the chest by three other men in London.
The attacker was reportedly the same as the attacker who killed a British woman on a train in March 2018.
In June 2018, an American woman died after she was stabbed in a London subway by a gang of four men.