Today is International Women’s Day, a global day to celebrate the social cultural and political achievements of women and rally for their empowerment .
Travel and tourism is one prominent sector, where women , across the world have made significant achievements by way of participation and employment during last decade .In fact, travel and tourism has potential to provide women with more opportunities for workforce participation, leadership, entrepreneurship and empowerment than many other sectors. Studies have shown that globally, tourism has almost twice as many women employed than in other sectors and that 54% (global average) of people employed in tourism are women.
India too has great potential to accelerate women’s participation and employment in travel and tourism sector for the reason that India has only 12.1 % share of women in the total work force in travel and tourism sector( as per WTTC study report) and that a huge women work force is choosing professional careers in the country.
To ensure greater empowerment of women through tourism, it is however necessary to mainstream gender equality in the national tourism policies and plans ; Include tourism in gender sensitive macroeconomic policy; Develop skills and leadership for women in tourism ; Support grass root women’s organisation in tourism communities and increase women’s participation in training on Digital technologies in tourism.
The theme for International Women’s Day 2021 is ‘’Choose to Challenge’’. A challenged world is an alert world; And from Challenge comes Change. It is therefore the year to ‘Choose a Change’ for greater empowerment of Women in Travel and Tourism.
I once had the privilege to speak on empowerment of women through tourism at a global forum at ITB Berlin, in an event ‘CELEBRATING HER’ Global Awards for Empowered Women, and had the pleasure to give away awards to the Women Awardees, from across the World, who did exceptional work in Tourism.
