Gender Analysis in Community-based Ecotourism

Abstract

Community-based Ecotourism (CBET) holds great promise in promoting environmental conservation, local livelihood, and cultural preservation. However, without a clear understanding of the differential benefits and costs of CBET for men and women, ‘gender unaware’ CBET research, policies and projects may in fact promote the welfare of men over women. That is, without a consideration of factors such as (a) the gender division of labour, (b) gender relations, and (c) differential access to and control over environmental, livelihood and cultural resources, CBET projects may unwittingly exacerbate existing gender inequalities in local communities. As a result, CBET projects may fail to meet their fundamental environmental, livelihood and cultural aims. Following a brief discussion of CBET, this paper provides a rationale for gender analysis in ecotourism, outlines the historical evolution of gender and development work, and introduces standard frameworks and tools of gender analysis. Using extant empirical case studies of CBET, the paper then discusses how both ‘efficiency’ (Women in Development) and ‘empowerment’ (Gender and Development) tools of gender analysis might be applied in the research and practice of Community-based Ecotourism.