GENDER FACTOR IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IN THE ACCRA METROPOLIS

ABSTRACT

The leisure and tourism indllstry is one of the leading global econOOllC act!'itit.'s.

.- mul(i-billion~dollar indusrrv. with 700 million imematlOnal tr~('eJlers pcI' yc:ar

around the ,"'orld. tourism has become an avenue for employment Jnd income

crealion. especially in poor countries. As an industry, there is di"ision of labour

by gender at all levels of the travel and tourism sectors. Vomen are the IllOSt

employed. yet rhey have the least dignified positions in the industr.)

The study assessed the socio·demographic background of employees 111 the

hospitality industry in Ghana. the positions both men :md Vomen occupy 111 the

industry. the conditions under which they work and the problems \ omen ill

particular encounter in their career advancement.

The main primJry sources consisted of d

or 228 employees and 20 employers/managers. The study JJopkJ . I.J5S1'd!· s.

119931 Gender Analysis Framework.

The study revealed that there were gender differences In lhl2 sl)(io-Jenwgraphlc

background of employees. For instance. seventy~one perCell! of til.: \ oOh.' 11

compared to only lO~'O of the men were between the ages of IS ~lIld::'3 'hde 5'j'!"

of rile men against 1.2°·';) of the women ere found to be between 29 ;mJ 3Y e':lrs

old, Vomen were also found to occupy lower positions III !he mUllslr> T1KTc

were reported perceptions of gender inequities or discrimInation at th(' '. IJrkpld((

in the areas of promotion. training opportunities and income.

There is therefore the need for employees. enterp1ises. tn"itutions and

govemments to eliminate or minimize the perception of Jiscriml:1Jlion ()Il

grounus of sex. Further studies should be conducted on sex discrimlnatloll "'.lli1ll1

the industry beyond the perceptions.