Tourexpi
The
study was presented ahead of the First Regional Conference on Women’s
Empowerment in Tourism in Latin America and the Caribbean, held in Asunción,
Paraguay, on 21-22 October.
In
addition to providing an overview of the contribution women make to tourism
globally, the paper highlights the importance of women's participation in
driving sustainable, inclusive transformation in the sector.
Among
other points, this new report highlights:
·
The role of tourism as a vehicle for
women's empowerment: women workers already represent 52% of the total regular
workforce in the sector – a figure that rises to 60% in certain segments, such
as accommodation and catering.
·
The number of women in tourism
education: 69% of the total number of people enrolled in tourism-related
studies in the region are women – a figure that shows that they see tourism as
a great source of opportunity for their future.
Apart
from highlighting the positive aspects of the tourism sector for women in the
region, the study also highlights the challenges they face. Among others, it
highlights the job insecurity that flows from unregulated employment, and which
mainly affects women. This instability makes it more difficult for women to
access financing, social security and the labour rights that come with a
decent, regulated job. Another fact that emerges from the analysis is that
women are a minority in decision-making positions in tourism ministries, where
they represent only 25%. They are also under-represented among tourism business
owners and in positions of responsibility in general.
In
Asunción, exploring strategies towards gender equality
The
Asunción conference, which marks an important step towards gender equality in
the tourism sector, brings together representatives from various Member States,
women leaders in the tourism sector, as well as gender and tourism experts to
discuss the findings of the report, and to share best practice from such
initiatives in their own countries.
The
event also includes roundtables and workshops to enable participants to explore
strategies for implementing the report's recommendations and encouraging
improved working conditions, as well as getting more women into leadership
positions in the tourism sector.
"Tourism
has enormous potential for women's empowerment, especially in the Latin
American and Caribbean region," said Zurab Pololikashvili,
Secretary-General of UN Tourism. "Latina women are the sector's driving
force in the region, and this study makes concrete suggestions for promoting
greater equality and women's participation in tourism – a key sector for
economic development in many countries."
The
First Lady of Paraguay, Leticia Ocampos de Peña, invited all Paraguayan women
to the event, which she said was very important because it seeks to raise
awareness of the challenges faced by women in the tourism sector, adding that
"it will be an opportunity to promote the exchange of knowledge, for the
implementation of policies with a gender perspective; to learn, grow and
promote inclusive tourism."
For
her part, the Minister of Tourism of Paraguay, Angie Duarte, highlighted the
significance of SENATUR and UN Tourism's work in bringing together women from
the national tourism sector, and thanked the First Lady, Leticia Ocampos, for
her keen support for the initiative, which seeks to address gender inequalities
within the sector and facilitate more opportunities for women's empowerment.
"This
is a key moment to highlight the importance of women in the global tourism
industry, and I invite all those women who are working for their own personal
development and that of their communities to join us in this transformative
event. Together, we can build a more equitable and prosperous future for
all," she added.
For
more information about the study, please visit the eLibrary or
contact ecsr@unwto.org.
To
watch the live webcast of the second day of the conference, please visit
the event
page
Image
Credit: © UN Tourism
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