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Female empowerment and tourism: a focus on businesses in a Fijian village
Women’s participation in business is gaining momentum amongst communities in the South Pacific, yet very few studies have explored this area in the context of tourism in Fiji. Based on ethnographic research, this study focuses on the gender dimension of community-based tourism development in Vatuolalai village, along with the Coral Coast of Fiji. In particular, this study seeks to extend our understanding of the links between female empowerment, tourism and business in this indigenous Fijian community. The paper discusses how indigenous Fijian women, through their involvement in tourism, have adapted to becoming successful business operators and influential drivers of socio-political change affecting established gender relations within an indigenous Fijian setting. Therefore, the current study argues that through tourism-based entrepreneurship, local women have attained not only economic but also psychological, social and political empowerment. Given the literature, this is not a mainstream result, particularly in patriarchal and embedded indigenous communities.
History
Publication title
Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism ResearchVolume
22Issue
6Pagination
681-692ISSN
1094-1665Department/School
School of Social SciencesPublisher
RoutledgePlace of publication
United KingdomRights statement
© 2017 Asia Pacific Tourism AssociationRepository Status
- Restricted