A central mission for Equality in Tourism is to develop cutting edge research that is orientated towards affecting positive change for women in the tourism and hospitality industry. Through our research activities, we have developed a reputation as thought-leaders in this area.
However, we know that social research can at times be lengthy and complicated, and this gatekeeps knowledge which should be accessible to all. After all, it is only by increasing awareness of the issues women face in the tourism and hospitality industry that we can work to overcome these gendered dynamics.
Thus, Insights aims to share key highlights of the findings of current research in the field in a clear, snappy and accessible form. Every week, we will publish a blog which comments on a new piece of research in the area of gender equality and the tourism industry, which we believe is particularly interesting and important. We hope that this series will enable everyone who cares about the position of women in the industry to enrich their understanding of new and emergent issues, as they are reported by researchers.
In addition, we are creating a glossary of terms and ‘jargon’ widely used in the travel, tourism and development sector that may not be familiar or understood by people new to this sector.
We warmly welcome your comments and observations, including recommendations for improvements.
Leadership and Technology: The double gender gap in the tourism industry
By Helen Merrick The role of technology in the tourism industry is increasingly important to keep up with global markets,…
Albasud Report: Gender inequalities in the Tourism Labour Market
Placa Real, a top tourist attraction in Barcelona, Catalunya (Spain). Written by Helen Merrick This new report from Nuria Abellan…
Gendered scripts in airline documentation: how corporate literature shapes and reshapes gender subjectivities in the aviation industry
This week's Insight considers new research by Smith, Cohen, Kimbu and Jong, published in the Annals of Tourism Research, which chiefly concerns how…
New study suggests women are yet to find their voices within the Egyptian tourism industry
Travel and tourism are pivotal to the Egyptian economy, contributing 12% to the country’s GDP in 2019. Within this industry,…
Meet the trailblazing female guides of the Tanzanian tourism industry: advancing gender equality through outdoor pursuits on Mount Kilimanjaro
Asifiwe Makere at sunrise near the summit of Kilimanjaro. Image courtesy of Marinel Malvar de Jesus. Every year, tourists from…
Tourism and Women’s Livelihoods in Victoria Falls
This blog was written by Tariro Sibanda and Joseph M. Cheer. It is based upon research presented in their recent…
New modelling indicates that culture is still the key driver of gender inequality in Asia
For over 30 years now, sociologists have explored how tourism could advance gender equality in global contexts. However, more recently…
Sustainable tourism: a route to women’s empowerment, or a stagnation of progress? The contradictory relationship between sustainability and SDG#5 in Turkish tourism
As part of the tourism development of the Cappadocia region, hot air balloon rides form a key touristic attraction in…
Origin: AirBnb, destination: women’s empowerment? Tracking the effects of network hospitality on gender equality in Kuala Lumpar
AirBnb has nowadays grown from a fringe choice for holiday accommodation to the default option for many tourists. The boom…
In the North American hotel industry, work-life balance for mothers still needs calibrating
Female employees in the North American tourism and hospitality industry far outstrip males in terms of numbers. However, they remain…
Latest UNWTO recommendations for tourism’s Covid-19 recovery repackage the old as new for women
Since the onset of the pandemic, the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has published a series of Inclusive Recovery…
White women volunteering in the global South- the ghost of colonialism’s past?
Volunteer tourism, or ‘voluntourism’ as it is more commonly known, comprises the practice of travelling abroad to undertake voluntary work…
We’re creating a glossary of common terms used in the travel, tourism and development sector to help understand academic writing and theory better. Coming Soon!