Kerala Introduces Tourism Policy Favoring Female Business Owners for Greater Equality
Kerala's Gender-Inclusive Tourism Policy Empowers Women in the Sector
In a groundbreaking move, Kerala, India, has launched the Gender-Inclusive and Women-Friendly Tourism Policy. This pioneering initiative aims to significantly empower women in the tourism sector by boosting their participation, ensuring safe and supportive workplaces, and creating more accessible tourism infrastructure.
The policy, supported by UN Women India and the Responsible Tourism Mission, has already attracted over 17,600 women into the tourism sector. This makes Kerala a global model for women-friendly tourism development.
The main objectives of this policy include fostering women's participation in various tourism-related businesses, ensuring safety and security at tourism centers, economically empowering women, building more accessible and inclusive infrastructure, and collaborating with stakeholders.
Kerala's government, through the Department of Tourism, Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission Society, and UN Women India, organized a state-level consultation workshop to develop this policy. The workshop, inaugurated by Tourism Minister P.A. Mohamed Riyas, marked a significant step towards implementing the policy.
The policy will focus on improving workplace conditions, guaranteeing safe environments for employees, and developing inclusive, accessible infrastructure and services at tourism destinations. It will also establish clear guidelines for implementing, monitoring, and evaluating gender-inclusive practices across the tourism sector.
The policy supports women entrepreneurs and workers through training, subsidies, coordinated projects, and safety audits. It also plans to establish women-friendly tourism centers and build a network of women-led enterprises within the sector.
Kanta Singh, Country Representative of UN Women India, praised Kerala for partnering with the State government and the Responsible Tourism project to further advance opportunities for women in the tourism sector. K. Rupeshkumar, CEO of the Kerala Responsible Tourism Mission Society, outlined the framework for the upcoming Gender Responsive Tourism Policy.
The Minister stated that efforts to implement women-friendly initiatives are actively underway in Kerala. He emphasized the importance of extending support to newcomers, especially women, to ensure they thrive in the competitive tourism ecosystem.
In a commendable move, Kerala has conducted gender audits in 68 tourism locations and plans to cover 14 more this financial year. After receiving training, these women now carry out tourism activities in a well-coordinated manner.
The Gender Responsive Tourism Policy will undoubtedly make Kerala a leading example of gender-responsive tourism, aligning with broader inclusive tourism development goals, aiming to sustain local livelihoods and keep Kerala a preferred destination worldwide.
- By fostering women's participation in various business sectors such as lifestyle, health-and-wellness, and women's health, the Gender-Inclusive and Women-Friendly Tourism Policy in Kerala is expected to expand its economic implications beyond the tourism sector.
- As part of their commitment to creating safe and supportive workplaces, the policy will also extend to implementing financial regulations ensuring fair remuneration for women workers in the travel and business sectors.
- In addition to building an empowered community of women entrepreneurs in the tourism sector, the policy aims to advocate for gender-inclusive practices in science, technology, and other fields, thereby promoting a comprehensive approach to women's empowerment.
