A sexologist who visited Queenstown to preach that sex and tourism go "hand in hand" says the resort should maintain a ban on brothels.
Dr Michelle Mars said Queenstown was not the "kind of place which should have brothels" despite recommending the resort market itself as a premier destination where people can hook up for sex.
The Queenstown Lakes District Council is reviewing its bylaw on brothels, after councillors accepted at a meeting in April that its rules were "unfairly restrictive".
Potential brothel operators are unable to conduct the world's oldest profession at any commercial business location in the Queenstown Lakes.
Dr Mars said Queenstown should focus on the "non-commercial" part of the sex-tourism industry to market itself as a destination.
The former Massey University lecturer who left to start sex-coaching advice company Sassi-Inc, told the Southland Times Queenstown's status as a world adventure capital already contributed to a reputation as a highly sexed centre.
"When you engage in high-adrenalin, risky activities, you are more likely to want to have a sexual encounter ...
"It makes people a lot more free and open to new experiences, and tourism and sex go hand in hand really," she said.
However, brothels "do not quite fit" with Queenstown's image and her comments were more about the non-commercial side of sexual activity, she said yesterday.
She was not "at all" surprised Queenstown did not have a brothel to cater for visitors prepared to pay for sex.
Although Queenstown's reputation as a party town helped break down sexual inhibitions, the resort could do more to move away from alcohol-related pick-ups, she said.
Lakes Environmental regulatory and corporate manager Lee Webster is handling the QLDC's brothel bylaw review.
A report is scheduled to be presented to the council soon, he said.
Dr Mars visited Queenstown at the weekend to speak at a conference for kitchen designers.
She has written several academic papers about sex and passion as a driver of human experience, and won grants for research on the subject of sex.
