Empowering women through tourism
In recognition of International Women’s Day, UK-based travel agent Responsible Travel has launched a new collection on its website featuring holidays run by small local women-owned tour operators with inspirational stories to tell. The idea is to empower women through tourism.
The guide states that although the majority of people working in tourism are women, the higher up the corporate ladder you go, the fewer and further between they are. “Our guide to women entrepreneurs in tourism explores why there are so few female leaders in tourism and the social and cultural challenges they encounter,” it explains. “We also hear from some inspiring female entrepreneurs on how they started up their tourism businesses – and how they are using their skills and influence to improve the prospects for other women.”
"Tourism has the potential to be a superpower for women in developing countries, but while the majority of its workforce is female, these women are concentrated in lower-level jobs,” said CEO Justin Francis. "With such a broad geographical reach, and a huge range of skills required, tourism has the opportunity to pull women out of poverty, equip them with skills and provide dignified, sustainable employment.”
Francis also said that he hopes the new collection of holidays, and the stories of how the women behind them overcame prejudice and other obstacles to successfully run their own businesses, will serve to inspire generations of girls around the world.