Turismo y género: las dinámicas laborales de la mujer en el sector turístico de la ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador

Abstract

This research addresses the need to understand gender inequalities in the labor sector of the city of Cuenca, particularly in the tourism industry. It arises from the lack of gender studies in the city, despite the notable presence of women in the sector. Its main objective is to analyze the labor dynamics of women in the tourism industry, focusing on Cuenca, Ecuador, as a case study. It focuses on identifying gender labor gaps from a theoretical perspective and examines women's labor dynamics in both senior and operational roles. This analysis allowed to identify gender disparities in labor activities in the tourism sector of Cuenca. Adopting a qualitative, exploratory-descriptive and cross-sectional approach, semi-structured interviews and focus groups were used to understand the employment situation of women in various tourism sectors and the male perception of this problem. The results showed that although women have made significant progress in terms of labor participation, they still face persistent challenges in terms of gender equity in leadership and decision-making roles. In contrast, in non-hierarchical or operational roles, women may be overrepresented, especially in traditionally feminized industries and roles. Keywords: women, tourism, gender equity, labor gaps, Cuenca – Ecuador