Women’s Participation In Tourism In Zanzibar An Enactment Perspective

 General introduction

For many decades tourism has provided job opportunities and an income for millions of women all over the world (Ashley, et al., 2000; Fayissa, et al., 2008; Ferguson, 2010; Greenwood, 1977; Kinnaird, et al., 1994; Meyer, 2003; Sharpley, 2002). The high demand in tourism for low-skilled and domestic-type activities, the flexible working hours and the low capital requirements motivated many women to find employment in the tourism industry or start a business of their own (Ashley et al., 2001; UNWTO, 2010). However, participation of women in tourism has been the subject of endless societal and scientific debates, and controversies with different scholars taking divergent views reaching contradictory conclusions. While some see tourism as a tool for development and gender equality (Honey & Gilpin, 2009; UNWTO & UNWomen, 2010; Zhao & Ritchie, 2007), others – including feminists – argue that tourism perpetuates gender inequality (Aitchison, 2001b; De Kadt, 1979; Swain, 1995; Thrane, 2008; Tugores, 2008). For example, although women worldwide make up around 70 per cent of the total workforce in hospitality, the percentage of women in managerial and supervisory positions in international hospitality is only 40 per cent (Baum, 2013). Only 8 per cent of corporate board members in publically quoted hospitality enterprises are women (Baum & Cheung, 2015). Although statistically the number of women working in the sector has exceeded that of men for a long time, women predominantly hold positions that do not allow them to participate in decision-making (Baum & Cheung, 2015; Peeters, 2009; Sinclair, 1997).