ABSTRACT
The role of women in tourism industries has long been part of existing discourses. For years now, the industry is lauded for the economic opportunities it offers to women compared to other sectors. As a result, women make up the majority of tourism workforce. Despite these, issues relating to their participation in the industry persist. Arguably, they remain marginalised and not empowered. The existing debate suggests that women are involved in lower paid, unskilled jobs, with low representation in key decision-making positions. The aim of this chapter is to examine whether tourism participation contributes to the empowerment of women by looking at their experiences within their own communities. In doing so, suggestions are made on how women can act as active agents facilitating community development in tourism communities in the Philippines. Positioned as an exploratory study, primary data was obtained by conducting interviews with women in select tourism communities in the Philippines. The findings of this study contribute to the enhancement of understanding about women in the Philippine tourism industry.
