Women-Run Hotels Transform Tourism Industry Across Global South
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📰 The quick summary: Hotels run entirely by women in Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and India are breaking gender barriers in tourism by creating employment opportunities and challenging stereotypes.
📈 One key stat: Less than 10% of the tourism workforce in Sri Lanka is female, despite women making up 54% of the global tourism workforce.
💬 One key quote: “We have paved the way for many women … Now if you are a female guide, every company will be like: ‘You are a hotcake, come to us.’ We have inspired a lot of women.”
1️⃣ The big picture: All-female operated hotels are emerging across countries like Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and India, creating pathways for women in traditionally male-dominated tourism sectors. Sri Lanka’s Amba Yaalu hotel opened in January 2025 with an 84-person female staff, while Tanzania’s Dunia Camp became Africa’s first entirely female-run safari camp. These pioneering establishments are challenging deep-rooted gender stereotypes and offering alternative employment opportunities, especially in regions where women often seek domestic work abroad. Though women comprise 54% of the global tourism workforce, only 14% advance to senior positions, making these initiatives particularly significant.
2️⃣ Why is this good news: These all-female establishments provide vital career opportunities for women who previously faced gender discrimination in hiring and promotion. Women working at these properties develop valuable skills and confidence, particularly in rural communities where many have never worked in hospitality before. The success of these ventures is proving skeptics wrong, with Tanzania’s Dunia Camp consistently earning top guest feedback among all 17 camps in its parent company. The tourism industry is evolving rapidly since the pandemic, opening windows for women’s leadership especially in rural areas. These pioneering efforts inspire other businesses to hire more women, with Tanzania’s Asilia group seeing female employment rise from just a few women to 30% across the company.
3️⃣ What’s next: Leaders of these hotels hope to see more entirely female-run hospitality and tourism ventures emerge globally. As success stories spread, they aim to increase the percentage of women working throughout the tourism sector. Growing acceptance and open-mindedness about women’s capabilities in these roles will help expand these opportunities further.
Read the full story here: The Guardian – From Sri Lanka to Tanzania: the pioneering hotels run entirely by women
