Sustainable Tourism Blog Series 2/4: Economic Empowerment
Updated: Apr 24
Tourism is one of the largest industries in the global economy that have the ability to contribute to greater employment opportunities and a more equitable world. Tourism allows for meaningful cross-cultural exchange and it is also a significant industry that economically impacts travel destinations. Tourism paves the way for employment within hotels, retail, activities, dinning, and more. In our globalized world the demand for tourism and the necessary infrastructure has increased shaping tourism to expand as an industry.
Greater Job Opportunities and Employment
One of the greatest benefits of sustainable and responsible tourism is the intentional inclusion of local communities and reinvesting in their economies. Travel is a large and highly profitable industry that can drive financial security, upskilling, fair wages, and employment. It also allows for greater long term economic independence for marginalized groups, women, and people with disabilities.
Creates More Inclusive Job Market for Marginalized Groups
Another significant benefit of tourism is that it provides an inclusive job market, better opportunities, and empowers women and other disadvantaged groups. The tourism industry implements tangible skills training, and educational opportunities that can help them earn jobs, become financially independent, and even build their own businesses. Oftentimes, their services such as hand-making traditional clothes making, teaching cooking classes, tour guiding, or leading a pottery workshop, are the pathways of work that overlap between the arts and hospitality sectors. This provides economic stability and supports local community members in building financial independence. Thus, tourism provides sustainable solutions to bridging the poverty gap as well as empowering women and disadvantaged groups to become stronger leaders in their community, and gain financial security.
How We’re Reinvesting in Our Travel Destinations’ Local Economies
At The World Within Us we value making a long-lasting impact that drives economic growth that reaches local residents, helps their businesses, and opens up opportunities for untapped talent and markets for disadvantaged groups. Here, we’re spotlighting three of our trip partners and how we’re working with them to deliver sustainable impact while also generating income for local women and their communities.
Seven Women in Nepal: We’ve selected working with Seven Women because of their commitment to employing local Nepali women and provide skills-training in artisanship, cooking, and tour-guiding workshops that help marginalized women (oftentimes with disabilities or divorced) make breakthroughs in their career, leadership, and financially support themselves and their families.
Solar Sister in Tanzania: We support Solar Sister because they are leading the solar energy movement across rural regions of Tanzania and the world. They provide women opportunities for educational trainings and to become entrepreneurs who supply, deliver, and market affordable energy solar products to remote communities.
It’s My Egypt, Female Tour Guide in Egypt: Empowering women in tourism is a priority for us to provide economic opportunities to our female tour-guides who are often overlooked in the tourism industry. We intentionally hire female tour guides in each of our destinations such as in Egypt, where we will experience the Great Pyramids of Giza, Luxor Temple, and learn more about ancient history with our guides, Fatma (Cairo) and Affaf (Luxor).
Tourism can create lasting economic impacts that benefit small businesses and disadvantaged groups around the world. The growing shift away from mass tourism to community-based tourism reinforces the need for travel agencies to be more inclusive of local populations and provide opportunities that allow for better integration and flourishing for all.
