People will do a lot for great sex, including ingesting some pretty wild things in the name of pleasure. Aphrodisiacs have been around for thousands of years and are thought to increase libido, boost sex drive and stamina, and increase arousal. The word itself comes from the ancient Greek goddess of love,
Aphrodite, whose mythic birth story involves her springing up from the foamy sea waters of her castrated father, Uranus. Since her seminal beginning, the goddess has been known to entice desire and eroticism, but do her namesake elixirs, foods, and drinks actually work?
Desire is a tricky thing, and yet every culture around the world has some kind of purported aphrodisiac. Whether it’s their sensual shape, a distinct aroma, or a hidden magical (read: chemical) quality embedded in the food itself, many believe in the power of aphrodisiacs, which are sometimes as myriad and strange as Aphrodite’s birth.
So, if you’re feeling a little frisky during your travels and just want to try something new, these 10 aphrodisiacs around the world may put you in the mood (or totally turn you off). And as the saying goes, don’t knock it ‘til you try it, since some even have scientific backing to support their aphrodisiac claims.
1 OF 10
WHERE: Serbia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Bolivia, and Jamaica
From the Caribbean to the Philippine Sea, bull testes are considered an aphrodisiac in many parts of the world. They’re said to boost male libido and virility (given that they contain testosterone, albeit a limited amount), but these findings aren’t quite proven. Maybe it’s because prized bulls can impregnate up to eight cows a day?
In the Philippines, bull testes and penis are typically cooked in a soup called “Soup Number Five,” while in Jamaica, the concoction is known as “Cow Cod Soup” and includes yams, root vegetables, and scotch bonnet pepper for a fiery aftertaste. The town of Gornji Milanovac in Serbia even holds an annual World Testicle Cooking Championship in praise of the purportedly lustful food. It’s now the world’s largest and
longest-running testicle cooking event and attracts nearly 1,000 visitors each year to see which team can cook up the best sacs from ostrich to kangaroo, boar, and of course, bull.
2 OF 10
WHERE: Worldwide
In the
early-modern world, ambergris was prized for its “fertility, aphrodisiac, and rejuvenative remedies” and has been widely sought after for over a thousand years. It’s often called “floating gold,” given the rarity of this prized, waxy-like, aromatic substance. Ambergris is essentially whale vomit that is regurgitated from a sperm whale’s intestines and can be found washed up along seashores. It has a very distinctive, yet hard-to-define smell, but once it completely dries, it takes on a sultry, musky aroma. It’s this mystifying scent that’s believed to spur on arousal, and that’s why it was often added to high-grade perfumes. For instance,
Chanel’s famous No. 5 perfume originally contained the substance as a base note, although most contemporary perfumeries use a synthetic version of it today.
According to the U.K.’s
Natural History Museum, “early Arab civilisations named it anbar and used it as incense, an aphrodisiac and medicine to cure many ailments, including those of the brain, heart and senses.” Ancient Egyptians burned it as incense, and it was added to luxury culinary dishes across Medieval Europe. Even the notorious 18th-century lover (read: original f**k boi)
Giacomo Casanova believed in its ability to awaken the loins and supposedly often added it to his chocolate mousse.
3 OF 10
Balut
WHERE: Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines
A fetal duck egg (a.k.a. a fertilized egg), popular in certain parts of Asia, contains a lot of protein, which is said to boost energy and sexual desire. It’s a common street food in Vietnam and the Philippines, and
Anthony Bourdain famously
ate balut on live television. It’s typically boiled and eaten right from the shell. If you can get past the feathers, texture, and psychological awareness of eating a tiny baby bird, Bourdain notes that its taste is actually not that bad. We’ll pass on trying it ourselves, but hey, if you’re looking to enhance your sex life, stop by a food stall in the Philippines and give it a shot.
4 OF 10
WHERE: Peru
Okay, enough with the animal-based aphrodisiacs already, at least for a bit. Maca, a root used in the Andes for thousands of years, is said to boost fertility, sexual desire, and stamina in both men and women. It’s native to Peru and a staple of the Andean diet but has spread around the world as a medicinal, nutrient-rich plant with adaptogenic properties. While the scientific proof of its arousal qualities are still up for debate,
one study showed that sperm concentration went up by 14% in men, compared to the placebo group. Maca is also used by women, especially in wellness routines, and it’s believed to help with fertility, perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms, reduce stress, and increase energy.
5 OF 10
WHERE: Korea, China, Siberia, and Latin America
Similar to maca, ginseng is a popular root also thought to have aphrodisiac effects, as well as the potential to improve sexual function in both men and women and to stimulate blood flow. Typically used in traditional Chinese medicine to enhance sexual behavior, several scientific studies actually back up these findings.
According to
one study, there was a positive correlation with ginseng and copulatory performances in animals, and these effects were also confirmed in human control studies. The famed root also improved the “sperm quality and count” of men, and
may even help with erectile dysfunction. Korean Red Ginseng, a variety of ginseng, “significantly improved sexual desire, arousal, orgasm” in another
controlled study, so there may be more to this phallic-shaped root than meets the eye.
6 OF 10
Hagfish or Slime Eel
WHERE: Korea
A delicacy and aphrodisiac in Korea, hagfish is believed to increase sexual stamina and potency. This might be a bit symbolic given its phallic shape, and when touched, it can produce a bunch of, well, slimy secretions. According to an
article by NBC, it’s popular among older Korean men who eat it broiled in sesame oil or grilled as an appetizer, followed by a shot of liquor. Hagfish, also known as slime eel, has loose skin, whole-body flexibility, and an enviable size (when compared with human penises, that is), so it’s most likely a psychological aphrodisiac. While there’s no hard evidence for its sex enhancement in humans, sometimes all it takes is a long-standing belief for something to stick. But either way, hagfish is a sight to behold, that’s for sure.
7 OF 10
Armadillo’s Tail
WHERE: Argentina and Nicaragua
According to folk medicine traditions in Argentina and Nicaragua, “cola de quirquincho” or armadillo tail is said to boost libido in men. It’s a plant (not an actual armadillo tail!) that’s also called Lizard Firmoss, and it thrives in dry, rocky habitats. Interestingly,
one scientific study concluded that the plant actually stimulated sexual arousal in sexually experienced male rats and facilitated sexual execution. But here’s the kicker: the plant also induced copulation in noncopulating male rats, similar to sexually experienced animals. So, there may be some truth behind this
libido-stimulating plant.
8 OF 10
WHERE: Poland
Ohhh, lovage. Even the word itself conjures a feeling of romantic awakening. Lovage is a perennial herb popular in Central Europe, though you don’t see it much in the United States (except at farmers’ markets). In the Middle Ages, lovage was a key ingredient in love elixirs and was carried as a magical charm, since it was believed to encourage affection and attract a suitor.
The taste resembles celery, just a bit stronger, and is often added to salads or soups or made into a tincture. As a healing tonic, some herbalists today include lovage in tinctures designed to help ease a broken heart or improve digestion. Its leaves are also sometimes used in ritual baths, especially in Poland, as it’s believed the plant will help ensure happiness and attract new love.
9 OF 10
WHERE: Worldwide
We’ve all heard about oysters as an aphrodisiac, and while there’s no concrete evidence that they boost your sex drive, this creature of the sea is primarily symbolic in its aphrodisiac qualities. For starters, it’s a sensual food that engages all the senses and is meant to be slurped right from the shell. Its sea watery, slippery texture is said to resemble the vagina, so any aphrodisiac effects (like the slimy hagfish) might be purely psychological. Still, oysters contain a lot of zinc, which can potentially boost libido, as well as tyrosine, an amino acid that helps with dopamine production.
It’s also interesting to note that Aphrodite, the goddess of love, is associated with the sea, and her birth story involves springing from the foamy ocean from a shell (albeit a scallop shell). Sometimes these ancient stories and their symbolism seep into the collective consciousness and form deeply embedded associations, but also, maybe the goddess of love had a thing for bivalve mollusks.
10 OF 10
Mondia Whitei
WHERE: Africa
Mondia whitei, or White’s ginger, is a bit different from your typical ginger, with a distinct taste (slightly bitter with a sweet, vanilla-like finish) and is considered an aphrodisiac throughout Africa. The versatile root is traditionally chewed, ground up, and brewed as a tea, or added to soups and other dishes, but it’s specifically believed to help boost libido, enhance sex, and help with male fertility and erectile dysfunction. In fact, there may be some
evidence to support these claims, as well as the root’s
antidepressant properties. It just goes to show that many of these ancient medicinal remedies, especially those that have existed for thousands of years, may actually work as aphrodisiacs.
https://hotelsmag.com/news/outrigger-fiji-green-key-certification/?
OUTRIGGER Resorts & Hotels has announced that OUTRIGGER Fiji Beach Resort and Castaway Island, Fiji have received Green Key Certification after completing an auditing and documentation process. The two properties are the first in the South Pacific to earn the certification.
Managed by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE), the Green Key Certification recognizes businesses that meet environmental requirements and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.
“Green Key Certification recognizes tourism leaders who demonstrate a genuine, measurable commitment to environmental responsibility,” said Martina Lucarelli, international Green Key Coordinator. “OUTRIGGER’s Fiji properties have shown strong alignment with Green Key’s rigorous sustainability criteria, and their certification reflects meaningful action to protect natural ecosystems while supporting local communities.”
The properties were also the first South Pacific resorts to earn Green Seal Certification. OUTRIGGER Fiji Beach Resort employs a dedicated environmental officer to ensure legislative compliance. Both properties prioritize local hiring and sourcing and operate conservation initiatives, including the Sculptural Coral Gene Bank off Castaway Island, Fiji, which is designed to support coral regeneration and provide guest education.
“The OUTRIGGER teams in Fiji continue to work tirelessly to implement practices and efforts that protect their beautiful island home, and we hope the Certification will pave the way for more hotels and resorts in the South Pacific to follow suit and embrace meaningful environmental change,” said Johnson. “We know travelers are increasingly prioritizing sustainability when choosing where they travel and who they stay with, so we are thrilled and proud to be able to share the news of our Green Key Certification as further assurance to guests of our dedication to protecting Fiji’s islands and their communities.”
OUTRIGGER Fiji Beach Resort was the first of the two properties to gain the certification and the first in OUTRIGGER’s global portfolio, while Castaway Island, Fiji followed shortly after. The certifications were awarded in December.
OUTRIGGER Resorts & Hotels is working to achieve Green Key Certification across each of its 31 properties globally. The effort aligns with its sustainability strategy and the OUTRIGGER Zone conservation initiative, which provides experiences for guests, hosts and local communities.
How six experts drive growth in fragmented U.S. hotel market
Industry leaders talk capital deployment strategies, opportunistic deals to keep ROI flowing when pipelines stall.
https://www.hotelinvestmenttoday.com/From-Our-Partners/How-six-experts-drive-growth-in-fragmented-US-hotel-market?
By Stefani C. O'Connor
LOS ANGELES ─ Hotel investors are eager to deploy capital. The problem is how. Elevated construction costs, financing constraints, mixed U.S. market performance and lingering uncertainty have taken easy answers off the table. But industry leaders see deal-driving potential in emerging alternative strategies tailor-made to outmaneuver fluctuating fundamentals.
Experts from all sides of the hotel investment sector came together at a closed-door, in-person roundtable held here alongside the Americas Lodging Investment Summit (ALIS) conference in late January to discuss the nimble solutions they're using to grow portfolios and profits in today's changeable landscape.
Offering insights on “Navigating growth in a fragmented U.S. hotel market: Capital deployment strategies and opportunities,” were: Michael DiPrima, executive vice president & co-head of national hotel partners, CBRE Hotels; Eric Jacobs, chief global growth officer, Aimbridge Hospitality; Michael Lipson, CEO and chairman of the board, Access Point Financial (APF); Steven Nicholas, managing principal and head of asset management, Noble Investment Group; Lisa Sexton, senior vice president, full-service development, U.S. East Region and Canada, Marriott International, and Jon Stanner, president and CEO, Summit Hotel Properties (SHP).
Mary Scoviak, custom and design content director, Hotel Investment Today by Northstar, moderated the roundtable, which was sponsored by Aimbridge Hospitality on Jan. 27, 2026.
Focus on what's in your control
Panelists acknowledged the importance of understanding major market forces. But they advised investors to devote less runtime to trying to micromanage the macroeconomics that are out of their control and more time to mapping action plans around the opportunities that are.
“The decisions we make, the data we analyze, what we look at, the decision to proceed or not to proceed…having a disciplined approach to investing and a discipline on the buy and the sell side ─ those are things we can control,” said Nicholas.
Applying that approach kept Noble's portfolio growing in 2025. “There are some really good deals, but not a lot of them,” said Nicholas. He recommends looking at sub- and micro-markets, situations with owners facing financial challenges (loan refis, PIP costs, etc.) that push them to divest the asset and cases in which owners “just want to get out of the business or protect other assets” to find assets with the right upside.
The definition of “in control” differs from the lender’s standpoint, but, like Nicholas, Lipson counsels investors to keep their eye on the deal, not the 60,000-ft. view.
Michael Lipson on real deals
“You can’t spend too much time looking at the data. We all use it, but there’s a point at which you have to stop, take out that noise out and start focusing on the individual transaction,” said Lipson.
That knowledge is key to getting Lipson’s “yes” for financing. “As a lender, we’ve got to watch carefully. Is it the right owner? That is always number one. Is it the right asset? Because we're more of a bridge lender, there's got to be a story, and can we buy into the story? That's how we make loans…it comes down to the individual asset.”
As a public company, Stanner said SHP can control “how we allocate capital and how we finance either developments or acquisitions, how we think about buying and selling assets. We have an ability to allocate capital and to buy our own stock back, which gives us another lever.”
Control tactics also need to shift when circumstances do, noted some executives. That includes thinking through portfolio management and exit planning.
Jon Stanner on the bid-ask gap
“One of the things I'm starting to see versus what happened in this past cycle [is] a little longer-term perspective around the time it's going to take for me to mature the asset and maybe to sell that asset or recapitalize it,” said Jacobs. “It used to be a three- to five-year window. Now, it might be more like a five- to seven-year hold period.”
Fill the gaps
The parts that individual investors can't control are the bigger impediments to more transaction volume, more development activity and, first and foremost, fundamentals, said Stanner. “There’s been an enormous amount of uncertainty on our trajectory. Uncertainty creates inaction, and that’s put a damper on new development and slowed the transaction environment.”
He added it's “really difficult” to get buyers or sellers to agree on RevPAR trajectories and therefore profitability trajectories. “So, it creates this natural impediment to activity.”
However, investors with more patience and deeper pockets are uncovering situational workarounds to tap veins of potential in an otherwise sluggish market. According to Jacobs, the 104 2026 FIFA World Cup matches being played in 11 U.S. cities from Los Angeles to New York and a series of global events culminating in the 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, also being held in LA, are sparking a welcome resurgence in international tourism.
“I do think [these events] will create some great demand. But, we need to have support from the national government to help with visas to make it easy, affordable and accessible for people to come into this country,” said Jacobs.
Eric Jacobs on sports, global events and their impact on US hotels
He added, “I think it's something, as an industry, we've been working on and trying to help at least the last four or five administrations, trying to help understand that international business is an important piece and we should be growing it, not shrinking it. This event [the 2026 FIFA World Cup] will help...it could be a potential catalyst to how we think about inbound business. And I think that could be promising.”
Los Angeles could among the early beneficiaries, according to DiPrima, as it moves from a challenging 2025 into a 2026 that sees the city in the global spotlight.
Nicholas and Lipson say extended-stay concepts could be primary development drivers, especially as major brand families incorporate them into their growth plans. Both like the resilience of this segment's cost-efficient operations and cost-effective long-stay business model in up and down cycles.
Maybe next year?
Classifying himself as an optimist, DiPrima predicts, “The minute we have sound fundamentals and groups willing to go back risk on, there's going to be a ton of transaction volumes that happens, likely in the back half of this year,” he said.
Michael DePrima on deal hunting
Jacobs spoke for many investors who had the same unfulfilled hopes for 2023, 2024 and 2025. DiPrima acknowledged that, adding, “Yes, we’ve been coming up with excuses or reasons not to do deals. We’ve had tremendous amounts of rate reductions, spreads are coming in, and yet everyone's like, ‘Well, where are the buyers?’”
Lipson agreed the equity hasn't shown up. “We had our best year ever in 2025, but 90% of our business was refis,” he said. Jacobs questioned if unrealized transaction growth simply reflects how hard fundamentals to gauge right now.
“Equity investors want to know the fundamentals are strong and that the future is moving in the right [direction],” Jacobs said.
Stanner was hopeful fundamentals would shift more positive this year, expressing industry consensus the sector is most interesting to invest in when, early in a cycle, there’s a good amount of runway, good RevPAR, EBITDA and profitability growth.
Tap into a new pipeline
Escalating deferred maintenance costs and debt service driven by COVID’s impact may bring more assets to market.
“What's driving sales today are debt maturities that are coming up. If there's not a refi option and they need to sell, we'll take it out. Large-scale PIPs that are viewed as defensive in nature, not accretive, are pushing sales, especially in the larger, full-service hotels and secondary locations,” said DiPrima.
Lipson suggested wrangling PIPs also can be tricky, particularly on the brand side. “People come to us and they think they have a contract…and then they get the PIP. And where a PIP might have been $40,000, $50,000 (per key) in the past, now we're seeing $75,000, $100,000.”
Marriott’s Sexton noted PIPs on the full-service side are regularly in that $75,000-to-$100,000 range, which she termed “just shocking.” She chalked it up to some assets not having been renovated since before 2019.
“That’s why the PIP is needed. We're trying to be as flexible as we can, but sometimes you’ve just got to do it,” she said.
Jacobs contended a seller shouldn't go to market without knowing the cost of meeting brand standards. “Make that part of the [sales] plan. If you spend all this time getting the buyer into due diligence and then you tell them, ‘By the way, the PIP is $100,000,’ the buyer can say, ‘I can’t afford that, so I need to retrade on price.’ Sellers need to address that upfront.”
Stanner cited an “enormous disconnect” between owners who feel it’s been really difficult to make money owning hotels, and the guest perception that hotels are more expensive and the product quality and delivery has worsened.
Competition forces the proactive operator to keep an asset maintained, particularly minus a PIP or big CapEx, according to Jacobs. “We have to be as nimble as we can, keep it really, really clean, stay on top of the fundamentals of great guest service and hopefully, we can overcome a dated product and drive the rate and the return for the guest.”
Lisa Sexton on PIPs
Marriott’s Sexton said the franchisor is trying to be a little more thoughtful, tailoring a PIP and a standard to a market-specific requirement that the customer’s going to expect. “That way we can help save money and prioritize what's going to be important to that consumer in that specific hotel,” she said.
Opportunities to prime pipeline flow
For investors who have capital and/or an appetite for risk, the search for opportunities to enter the pipeline continues.
As to where, Jacobs noted there’s no magic answer; rather, it’s about the long-term fundamentals of a marketplace. He indicated opportunities still exist in New York, San Francisco and Seattle (albeit with some challenges), as well as in key leisure markets with strong fundamentals and good airlift.
DiPrima cautions investors to get a more holistic picture of markets before putting a pin the map. “E veryone today is like, what do you have in San Francisco? Well, it's still 20% behind where it was in 2019. So it has lots of room to run. On the flip side, you look at markets like Austin, which was down three plus percent in RevPAR, partially mostly driven by a convention center being offline.”
He added, “You look at San Diego, Nashville, Phoenix, all down two-and-a-half 3%...You go back 12 months ago at this conference, everyone was hyped on DC with the new administration. They predicted there would be tons of business coming to DC. Today, I would say DC is probably one of the most challenging markets in some ways to look at for the future. You could say the same for LA too. I mean, this is my backyard. LA has been off the radar for many investors because of mansion tax and minimum wages going to $30 an hour. But over the next three years you have the FIFA World Cup, SuperBowl LXI, the Olympics. There's a point in time where, you know, maybe groups should start leaning in here.”
Sexton said projects taking off this year generally have been long-term holds. “We've got owners who've had land for a while, the entitlements have taken a couple of years. We've gotten a lot of (full-service) new-build projects off the ground last year or at least signed,” she said, noting some have been worked on for three years.
Steven Nicholas on investor confidence
“So, these owners are finally at the point where rates have come down a little bit, construction costs seem to be a little more stable and they're ready to pull the trigger,” said Sexton.
Jacobs noted larger, more impactful projects for a community have to have government support in some way to help those deals actually pencil, “otherwise they're just going to sit there,” he said.
With all these growth options, Nicholas closed on a positive note.
“As I look at this past year, if we would have been sitting here at ALIS last year, and we would've said we would've had a Liberation Day, that we would've insulted most of the countries in the world and that we would've had DOGE and that all this was going to happen, I think we would've been sitting here saying this year would've been down four or five percent RevPAR year over year; we're basically flat down a half a percent. So, I don't think it's as bad as it's perceived; I think everything is recoverable. The question is really just time. I think there's some positive things going out there from travel.”
He added, “I do think there's, there's some positive trends. People still want to travel and travel is going to continue to grow. I don't think it all happens in first-quarter ’26, but I do think there's some positive things about travel that should give us all confidence.”
Stefani C. O’Connor is a journalist based in New York City.
The views and opinions expressed in this content do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Hotel Investment Today by Northstar or Northstar Travel Group and its affiliated companies.
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