The World Tourism Organization (UN Tourism) and the Ministry of Tourism of Paraguay presented a report highlighting the importance of women in the tourism sector. The study was released as a prelude to the First Regional Conference on Women's Empowerment in Tourism in Latin America and the Caribbean, scheduled for October 21 and 22 in Asunción.
The report emphasizes the crucial role of women in tourism and addresses their contribution to the sector, promoting sustainable and inclusive transformations. Furthermore, it highlights the need to advance towards gender equality in Latin America and the Caribbean, where currently women hold only 25% of leadership positions in tourism ministries and are underrepresented as owners of tourism businesses.
The conference in Asunción aims to be a milestone in the fight for gender equality in tourism, bringing together representatives from Member States, industry leaders, and gender experts to analyze the report's findings and share best practices. During the event, strategies will be explored to implement the report's recommendations, improve working conditions, and increase women's participation in leadership roles within the tourism industry.
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General of UN Tourism, mentioned that tourism has great potential to empower women, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean, and emphasized the importance of advancing towards greater equality and female participation in the tourism sector.
The First Lady of Paraguay, Leticia Ocampos de Peña, and the Minister of Tourism of Paraguay, Angie Duarte, supported the initiative and highlighted the relevance of the conference to raise awareness about the challenges women face in the tourism sector. However, despite progress, the report also points out the persistent challenges, such as job insecurity and lack of access to financing, social security, and labor rights for women in the tourism sector.
