Female empowerment and tourism: a focus on businesses in a Fijian village

Movono, Apisalome and Dahles, Heidi (2017) Female empowerment and tourism: a focus on businesses in a Fijian village. Asia Pacific Journal of Tourism Research, 22 (6). pp. 681-692. ISSN 1094-1665

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Abstract

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.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Additional Information:	Api Movono - Currently undergoing PhD studies at Griffith University
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > H Social Sciences (General) H Social Sciences > HC Economic History and Conditions
Divisions:	Faculty of Business and Economics (FBE) > School of Tourism and Hospitality Management
Depositing User:	Fulori Nainoca - Waqairagata
Date Deposited:	13 Jun 2018 22:59
Last Modified:	13 Jun 2018 23:18
URI:	https://repository.usp.ac.fj/id/eprint/10843

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