A steady increase in the number of freelance overseas sex workers in Hong Kong's male escort industry is making it one of the biggest sectors of its kind in Asia.
That was the claim of Michael - not his real name - who contacted the Sunday Morning Post to highlight how the city's male escort business has soared in recent years.
Michael, from northern Europe, is in his late 20s and has been based in Hong Kong for more than six years.
He still uses a tourist visa as he spends up to five months a year working as a male escort in other Asian countries. Male escorts from Europe, South America and the mainland come to the city for two weeks at a time, before moving on to another country, Michael explained.
They advertise their services through profiles on gay introduction and meeting websites, such as Gaydar and similar phone applications.
These websites are international and based in Europe and the US, but with sections relating specifically to Hong Kong. Others advertise on the likes of Craigslist or in the local media. Michael said that about 90 per cent of clients looking for a male escort in Hong Kong were men.
The rise in freelance expatriate escorts in the city has cut into Michael's earnings. Where once he could make HK$30,000 a month, he's sometimes now lucky to generate HK$19,000.