Empowering women in rural tourism projects

Community-based rural tourism (CBT) is an alternative to mass tourism; it focuses on offering immersive experiences in local communities, where the visitor gets closer to the culture, traditions and way of life of the host places. It promotes a slow tourism, in which each participant fully enjoys the moment and the space in which he/she finds him/herself.

This type of activity promotes the economic and social growth of small populations, seeking a balanced territorial development, as well as an equitable distribution of resources. In addition, priority is given to the care of the natural environment that offers the communities the tools to carry out diverse activities, educating the visitor about sustainable forms of tourism. 

In this way, the TRC not only contributes to economic development, but also acts as a platform that promotes gender equality, creating opportunities for women, who are involved in decision making, acquire economic independence and improve their skills and capabilities, thus fostering a support network in the community, an aspect that favors their empowerment. At the same time, the project not only seeks to involve them, but also to generate a sense of belonging and identity with the projects they implement, which are integrated into their lifestyle, becoming a driving force to make their work visible. 

A closer look at AMUL's women's collective

An example of this is the case of AMUL (Asociación Muralla de León), specifically the project integrated by thirty women, located in the village of Macanche, Petén, Guatemala. Of the total number of women who make up the collective, only 15 are directly related to the project; however, they all show the support network they represent for the process, as well as the opportunity to adapt according to their skills and abilities in production, management and leadership.

This group is characterized by working the Ramón seed, which comes from a tree of the same name and has been used since Mayan times, making it an integral part of the regional identity. It is also used to produce various edible products such as flour, cookies, coffee substitute, among others. 

The project of the women's collective arose from a training session that showed the way to take advantage of the seed, as well as its nutritional benefits. As a result of the creation of the products and on the initiative of the group, the idea was born to implement a tour to show the processing of the Ramón seed and diversify the group's activities, benefiting not only the women responsible for the project, but also the community involved. 

Women's empowerment: breaking stereotypes 

With respect to the opportunities and advantages that the project has generated for women in terms of empowerment, it can be seen in their leadership, since they have created a board of directors where they are part of the decision-making process through collaboration and democracy, involving economic, social and management aspects of the project, always seeking an equitable distribution of work and goods for the community.

In addition to the above, they are in charge of generating links in the market and providing solutions to the problems that arise, which is why they have developed management and administration through training, support and guidance from institutions that promote the acquisition of knowledge that adds value to decision-making within and outside the project, as one of its members says "I feel empowered and capable of communicating my ideas clearly and confidently, sharing my perspective and actively contributing to decision-making in the project". 

At the same time, they have generated economic independence by earning their own income, favoring the economic support of the family, breaking the gender barrier, mainly about stereotypes about the role or activities they should perform because they are women. In addition, thanks to their work and effort, they have been given social recognition within and outside the community, showing that they are capable of achieving their goals in both their personal and professional lives.  

A gender perspective to continue working

Just as there are benefits for women, on the other hand, there are still areas of opportunity to work on gender issues. In the case of the AMUL collective, when talking about empowerment, it is not only about making the good things visible, but also about the double role that many of the women involved still play, as they struggle with the workload both in the project and in their family and social life in order to balance their responsibilities, which generates additional pressure. But despite this, they remain steadfast in meeting their objectives and show that they are capable of managing their time.

In this way, rural community-based tourism is not only a potential tool for economic development, but also the engine that drives social transformation; it empowers women, as in the case of AMUL, who play a crucial role in the project involving the production of products derived from the Ramón seed, which is reflected in their leadership, management, administration and decision-making capacity. Likewise, this type of dynamics promotes gender equality and makes their work more visible. 

Finally, we cannot forget that there are still adverse situations for women, such as the double role they play, which generates an extra workload and sometimes without recognition or economic remuneration, but despite this, they continue to show their resilience, leaving their mark on their community and seeking a more equitable future for the female collective, not only within rural community tourism, but also within their social context. 

Article written by Joselin Alegria Alegria, a student of the Bachelor's Degree in Cultural and Natural Tourism Management at the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro.