Closing the Gender Gap: The Role of Tourism Towards Equality

In recent years, the tourism sector has risen as a pivotal force in economic and social advancement, catalyzing exports, attracting foreign investments, and fostering cultural exchanges. It stands out as a fundamental pillar for sustainable development globally, especially in low and middle-income nations. The sector's profound impact on socioeconomic dynamics is magnified by its capacity to drive gender equality forward.

Representing a considerable portion of the workforce and entrepreneurial ventures within the sector, women are at the forefront of leveraging tourism for greater economic and social autonomy. Furthermore, tourism acts as a bridge, connecting travelers and host communities to a spectrum of experiences far removed from everyday life, socioeconomic statuses, and familiar cultural settings. Such interactions are instrumental in challenging and dismantling gender stereotypes, showcasing a variety of life experiences and perspectives.

Building on the insights shared in our 2020 blog for International Women's Day, this updated edition seeks to further refine our understanding of the tourism sector's pivotal role in promoting gender equality. With a sharper focus on economic empowerment, we delve into the latest evidence and data, elucidating the sector's contributions and the challenges that remain. Additionally, we present a series of public policy recommendations designed to support continued progress toward gender parity. This comprehensive analysis aims not only to inform but also to inspire actionable strategies in the pursuit of equality.

The State of Gender Equality in Tourism

A recent report led by UNWTO estimates that women's participation in the tourism sector's labor force stands at 54%, compared to 39% in the overall economy. Similar studies conducted by the International Labour Organization have shown higher figures, placing women's sectoral participation at 58.1%. In the Americas, women's participation in the sector's labor force is estimated at 57%. Women's participation in the tourism sector is, therefore, considerably higher (+38.4%, according to UNWTO figures) than their average participation across all economic activities.

This positive aspect is partially nuanced when analyzing the breakdown of this labor participation.

Firstly, the existing gender pay gap between women and men at the sectoral level is prevalent across all analyzed tourism industries (UNWTO, ILO) and has not been reduced in recent years. This gap stands at 14.7% in the accommodation sector, with the average gap across the economy estimated at 16.8%.

Another notable aspect is that various reports and studies have shown that women are overrepresented in more vulnerable, less qualified roles with lower average salaries and worse overall working conditions, observing a significant underrepresentation of women in managerial positions (ILO). In this context, it is estimated, for example, that women "hold less than 40% of management positions, less than 20% of general management positions, and less than 8% of positions on boards of directors" in traditional lodging companies. The report also highlights that "women represent approximately one-quarter of decision-makers in the tourism sector; the higher up the career ladder you look, the fewer women there are. Although the sector attracts a high number of female graduates, it does not do enough to retain them or ensure their career progression into high-level leadership, policymaking, and decision-making roles."

Economic Empowerment

As observed in the previous data, tourism offers a path to economic empowerment for women, especially in low- and middle-income countries and rural areas, by providing them with more employment and entrepreneurship opportunities on average than the rest of the economic activities. However, women's working conditions must be strengthened, efforts must be made to close the significant salary gaps, and the battle against role segmentation and increasing the presence of women in executive positions must continue.

To address these challenges effectively, Latin American and Caribbean governments are encouraged to conduct tailored diagnostics for each country and within specific tourism sectors. Through the meticulous collection and analysis of data, they can devise targeted, evidence-based strategies to overcome the identified hurdles. In scenarios where bespoke studies are yet to be undertaken, adopting globally successful practices can serve as a pragmatic interim solution. These may include offering incentives or establishing specific working conditions to encourage the formalization of employment for women, especially in roles where they are traditionally overrepresented. Additionally, the promotion of specialized training programs and networking opportunities, coupled with the enhancement of soft managerial skills, can provide substantial support in advancing gender equality within the tourism sector.

A pivotal element in the effective formulation and execution of public policy and investments is the establishment of a system for collecting robust, sex-disaggregated statistics alongside fostering a culture dedicated to measurement and evidence-based decision-making in policy and investment. The Bank is actively supporting efforts in this direction, for instance, through conducting studies that incorporate a gender perspective and gather sex-disaggregated data. A notable project conducted in the Dominican Republic examining the role of tour guides revealed a gendered division in this occupation, with it being predominantly male. Similarly, an analysis of the official "Labor Market Survey" in Panama was geared towards identifying potential gender disparities or the need for further information to facilitate comprehensive gender studies, thereby assisting in the formulation of a targeted action plan for the Government. These initiatives underscore the commitment to integrating gender considerations into the analysis and proposing solutions informed by evidence to address gender imbalances effectively.

In other programs, such as the El Salvador program mentioned earlier at the beginning of this article, within the framework of our productive work with the Ministry of Tourism, the Salvadoran Tourism Corporation, and the Salvadoran Institute of Tourism, a gender perspective was integrally included in the program. This approach involved analyzing women's participation in the public sector, identifying specific training needs for women at the sectoral level, and promoting technical advice and funding programs aimed at supporting numerous women-led entrepreneurship projects.

In conclusion, at the Bank, we firmly hold that the tourism sector is a vital force for enhancing the prosperity and economic empowerment of women in Latin America and the Caribbean. It plays a crucial role in ameliorating their quality of life and mitigating poverty, vulnerability, and inequality, especially in rural locales. The sector's contribution to accelerating the path towards gender equality represents indeed one of the pillars upon which we base our unwavering dedication to fostering the development of the tourism sector across the Latin American and Caribbean region. For those interested in exploring more about our initiatives and contributions in this area, we warmly invite you to visit our project webpage for further information.

References

Organización Internacional del Trabajo, "Hacia una recuperación sostenible del empleo en el sector del turismo en América Latina y el Caribe", Ginebra, Suiza, junio de 2021.

Organización Internacional del Trabajo, International perspectives on women and work in hotels, catering and tourism, Ginebra, Suiza, 2013. Disponible en: https://www.ilo.org/wcmsp5/groups/public/-dgreports/-gender/documents/publication/wcms_209867.pdf. Extraído en marzo 2024.

Organización Mundial del Turismo (2021), Informe mundial sobre las mujeres en el turismo - Segunda edición, OMT, Madrid, DOI: https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284422753.

Organización Mundial del Turismo y ONU Mujeres (2012), Informe mundial sobre las mujeres en el turismo 2010, UNWTO, Madrid, DOI: https://doi.org/10.18111/9789284414789.

United Nations, Policy Brief: COVID-19 and Transforming Tourism, New York, EEUU, Agosto 2020.

Women Leading Tourism & Deloitte España, Liderazgo Femenino en el Sector Turistico, Madrid, España, Enero 2023. Disponible en: https://womenlt.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Liderazgo-Femenino-en-el-Sector-Turistico_FITUR_v7.pdf Extraído en marzo 2024.

Find here our tourism projects: https://www.iadb.org/en/project-search?query=&f_sector=SUSTAINABLE+TOURISM&f_country_name=&f_project_status=&f_operation_number=&f_from=&f_to=&f_approval_date=

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