What Could be Done? Tourism, Gender (In)Equality and Women Managers Views of What Should Change

The purpose of this article is to analyse female top managers suggestions of what could be done towards gender equality at three different levels (state, organisational and individual), so that more women reach the top of tourism organisations. Looking at the state and organisational measures proposed by the interviewees, it seems that they regard lack of time and lack of childcare solutions as the main problem behind womens representation at the top. Interviewees place the problem of the provision of childcare in the states hands, and the problem of lack of flexibility in the organisations hands. However, when analysing the individual strategies proposed by these women, these clearly target a completely different issue, namely the prejudice against women in organisations. Interviewees emphasise individual strategies the most, since they believe that the solution to achieve equality lies in the hands of women, while other participants believe that equality will be achieved naturally The individual strategies proposed by women can be grouped under the following main themes: hard work, competence and meritocracy; showing skills and availability; confrontation strategies and assertiveness; protection of family and personal lives from excessive work demands; strategies for fitting in; doing what one likes; investment in education; and family planning. Their answers can be interpreted in light of how challenging they are in terms of disturbing the gender order. While some of these strategies align with the status quo and leave gendered structures unchallenged, others confront gendered structures and the prevailing gender order.