Women gain prominence in the tourism industry
The industry must continue to develop its potential as a driver of gender equality
To mark International Women's Day, the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and UN Women have jointly reaffirmed their commitment to keeping women's empowerment at center stage in tourism development.
With the 'Centre Stage' model we can help the sector to work for women and we will not stop until the girls of tomorrow have the same opportunities as the men of today.
Tourism as a leader in gender equality
UNWTO research has previously shown the enormous potential of the tourism sector to empower women of all backgrounds. 54% of the global tourism workforce are women, the gender pay gap is narrower in tourism and the proportion of women in leadership positions is higher than in other sectors. However, much remains to be done. Women are still concentrated in low-paid, precarious and often informal jobs. In addition, UNWTO research has revealed that the COVID-19 pandemic hit women in tourism more than men. For example, women were more likely to lose their job, have their hours or pay reduced, and take on more caregiving responsibilities in all countries surveyed.
UNWTO Secretary General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “UNWTO has worked with our partners to study and document the enormous contribution that women make to tourism. Now is the time for tourism to give back. With the 'Centre Stage' model we can help the sector to work for women and we will not stop until the girls of tomorrow have the same opportunities as the men of today”.
Public and private unity
The pioneering 'Center Stage' project was launched in 2021 to address this imbalance and expand tourism's place on the women's development and empowerment agenda. Created by UNWTO, BMZ and UN Women, the project is aimed at creating a people-centred tourism development model that takes into account the needs of women. By bringing together the public sector with tourism businesses and civil society organizations, the project directly trained 1,800 people, promoted 2,826 women, surveyed 27,000 people and reached more than 20 million in a global awareness campaign.