Malaysian Women in Tourism virtual Summit, Research & Networking 

With this event Institute of Tourism initiate a series of events, researches and analysis. We will also create networking and motivations opportunities.

In Asia and the Pacific, women make up 56% of the tourism workforce. However, they remain concentrated in lower paid-positions and tens to have poorer working conditions. As in other regions of the world, high-level and leadership positions seem to be the sole prerogative of men. The aim of this summit is to contribute to international efforts to achieve Sustainable Development and gender equality and the empowerment of women in Malaysia tourism industry.

The discussions of the summit focus on the women’s employment &  leadership; entrepreneurship; how can advance women’s economic empowerment, to examine the features that encourage women to participate in tourism, women’s empowerment in eco-tourism and homestay creates positive impacts.

In Malaysia, women are increasingly playing significant roles in the tourism industry, contributing to its growth across various sectors, with a focus on initiatives that empower women through training, leadership roles, and utilizing their cultural knowledge as caretakers, particularly in areas like eco-tourism and community-based projects; however, challenges still exist regarding access to appropriate training and finance for women to fully participate in higher-level positions within the industry. Despite progress, women may still face limitations in accessing higher-level positions due to gender stereotypes and lack of appropriate training opportunities.

Women tend to enter into business ventures for diverse and varying reasons such as the need for growth and better quality of life, rather than simply to make a profit. Another issue related to women’s labour-force participation is gender equality. Malaysian women likely face obstacles due to cultural and religious values.

Organizer & Creator

Dr. Reza Soltani

President Institute of Tourism