Tourism and Gender: An Evolving Agenda

Abstract

This introduction reflects on the gender agenda in tourism thus far and attempts to position the following collection of six papers within it. Drawing on the editors' earlier work advocating a gender-aware framework for re-conceptualization processes of change and development within tourism, it affirms the importance of gender studies in tourism by arguing that tourism experiences are grounded in, and influenced by, our collective understanding of the social construction of gender. It is concluded that there is still much to debate and contest at the interface of gender and tourism to further our understanding of tourism processes. In particular, however, there is a need for continued debate on how our collective research agenda in gender and tourism is further progressed and enhanced.