Fonte: Journal of Tourism & Development; v. 1, n. 21/22 (2014); 317-327
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Resumo: Gender relations of host societies are a key factor in tourism, as they influence how power, identity and change are produced and negotiated (Kinnaird & Hall, 1996; Swain, 1995). Vague definitions of gender have been identified as problematic in many cases of economic development (Ferguson, 2010). Hence tourism projects that seek to equally involve and empower women need to be based on a good understanding of local gender roles. This paper provides anoverview of ethnographic anthropological research from the Andean region, including some of the author’s data from a preliminary study. Findings show a general pattern of male dominance in most mestizo communities (Bourque & Warren, 1981; Navarro, 2002; Weismantel, 2001), contrasted by roughly equal status and complementary contributions in the more indigenous communities (Allen, 1988; Bolin, 2006, 1998). Gender identities have been negotiated in various ways before and in response to tourism (Henrici, 2007; Weismantel, 2001). Even though indigenous culture constitutes a major tourist attraction, indigenous women generally do not benefit as much as their urban counterparts, and tourism can even erode women’s traditional power base. This paper illustrates how ethnographic studies can reveal the complexities of Andean gender relations and thus help create more equitable tourism development.
