The travel business is an extensively engaging sector, and it is quite a paradox to see how tourism businesses play a leadership role within the industry and in the business community. This chapter aims to precipitate and reflect on the nature of tourism employability and examine the gender space and women employability for inclusive tourism development. This chapter examines varied aspects affecting the tourism industry and addresses economic resilience building. The significance of the gender parity revolves around the dynamic capacities related to the women in the private business space in the hospitality sector. This chapter indicates how women-centric employee engagement is attained in a globalized world. The gender-centric perspective and the women empowerment in the hospitality business are assessed.
TopIntroduction
One of the most significant advantages of the tourism industry is the creation of jobs for residents in tourist locations. While this is commonly acknowledged, there is a lack of understanding of a gender bias in the kind of jobs offered to men and women (Boonabaana, 2014). Gender discrepancies in tourism employment have been documented in research, with more women than males being impacted negatively and it has been linked in large part to conventional gender perceptions and relationships in diverse locations. (Xu, 2018).
According to Kinnaird and Hall (1996) tourism is founded on the grounds of gendered societies, and gender relations infect all aspects of tourist-related development and activity as a result. Societal factors impact and are influenced by gender relations in several ways like economic, political, social, cultural, and environmental factors. Tourism does not exist in isolation; it has an impact on all of them. Tourism has become such an important component of growth, the social, economic, and political linkages that have resulted are part of wider power and control systems that can be defined by race, class, or gender. However, female members are often marginalized in government policies and development programs compared to their male counterparts. Therefore, understanding women's and men's power and agency, as well as the cross-cultural creative techniques used regarding their political, economic, social, and cultural roles, is fundamental. (Ridgeway & Correll, 2004)
Ferguson et al. (2021) say 54% of people employed in tourism are women, which shows that the tourism industry appears to be a particularly significant sector for women. On a global scale, women's engagement in the tourist business has increased significantly and this rise in female participation might be attributed to the tourist industry's expansion. (Kladeen, 2020). They have attained higher levels of education than ever before. Despite this, their representation in managerial roles remains unacceptably low, with only a small percentage breaking past the “glass ceiling.” (Nguyen, 2022). In comparison to males, women are more likely to work as chambermaids, cleaners, receptionists, phone controllers, housekeepers, handicraft merchants, and restaurant waiters in the tourist industry (Xu, 2018). Several interconnected elements contribute to the tourist labor market's gender segregation.
Gender Stereotyping
Gender stereotypes exist in most cultures and are more culturally generic than culturally particular. Gender stereotypes have an impact on how we view each other and ourselves. (Wojtowicz, 2021). Gender stereotypes and gender roles are not unique to the tourist industry; rather, it appears that the tourism industry is another example of conventional preconceptions and roles at work. (Skalpe, 2007). Women are seen to be particularly well-suited to filling specific tourist professions; they regard themselves as “well-suited” and are interested in conventional occupations. As a result, women are more appropriate to some vocations, such as caring and household-related tasks, as well as service positions. On the one hand, this contributes to the perpetuation of gender stereotypes and women's positioning as a result.
This is unfavorable in general, especially because the majority of gender-stereotyped jobs are low-paying and do not feature crucial management roles (Sabina & Nicolae, 2013). Women, on the other hand, can enter the tourist profession based on their traditional roles and their confidence in their ability to fulfill them. Gender stereotypes and gender roles are not unique to the tourist industry; rather, it appears that the tourism industry is another example of conventional preconceptions and roles at work. (Skalpe, 2007).