Women’s Participation in Tourism Industry: A Study of Lekhnath Municipality of Kaski District Nepal

Abstract

This study explores the major influencing factors that are affecting women’s skilled participation in the tourism sector hotels at Lekhnath, the second biggest city of Kaski district. The study also identifies the level and trend of women’s participation in this sector along with the specific discriminations towards them, if any. Using a census survey, research design of total 37 women were interviewed. Both the primary and secondary data have been employed in this study but the primary data was the main source of information with the minimal backing of the secondary data. The scheduled questionnaire was used in the census survey in order to collect the primary information. Besides these, personal observation and Key Informant’s Interview were conducted in order to triangulate the results. The SPSS version 16.0 was used to calculate percentage or proportion for all variables or indicators. To meet the study objectives, demographic and socio-economic factors such as age, marital status, education level, prior family involvement in the tourism industry, work environment, household headship and social barriers have been chosen for the research. The research findings revealed an increasing trend of women’s participation in the tourism sector but with a very low pace and no any kinds of remarkable discrimination and exploitation towards women employee have been found. After carrying out different study based on semistructures questionnaires and Key

Informants Interview (KII), we can come to a conclusion that the status of women participation is likely to be similar in reference to the gender. The trend of women participation has been increased and the level has been the highest in this hour. In spite of this situation, the discrimination can be observed in the matter of positional status. Similarly, as per the findings of this research, it is observed that there is no significant difference in the status of male and female in the tourism sector of Lekhnath. Although, the male dominant social structure is prevalent here, the effect is less due to under developed tourism of Lekhnath. This is an opportunity for tourism sector of Lekhnath that now when the rapid development will start in near future, the gender and development principle is to be incorporated so that this will be one of the best example for tourism sector of the other place too.