The World Tourism Organization, a specialized agency of the United Nations, defines sex tourism as "trips organized from within the tourism sector, or from outside this sector but using its structures and networks, with the primary purpose of effecting a commercial sexual relationship by the tourist with residents at the destination."
Shirika la Utalii Ulimwenguni, ambalo ni shirika maalumu la Umoja wa Mataifa, linafafanua utalii wa ngono kuwa "miradi iliyopangwa kutoka ndani ya sekta ya utalii, au kutoka nje ya sekta hii lakini kwa kutumia miundo na mifumo yake, ikiwa na kusudi la msingi la kuathiri uhusiano wa kingono wa kibiashara na watalii wanaoelekea."