FACTORS INFLUENCING WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION IN TOURISM ACTIVITIES IN THANH AN COMMUNE, HO CHI MINH CITY

Abstract

This study investigates factors influencing women’s participation in community-based tourism in Thanh An Island Commune, Ho Chi Minh City, a coastal community undergoing livelihood transitions under ecotourism development. Using a mixed-method design with quantitative surveys of 77 households, 208 women, and 200 tourists and interviews and observations, the research identified two groups of factors. Enabling factors included supplementary economic benefits, policy support, and strong community social capital, while constraining factors included gender stereotypes, dual domestic-economic burdens, limited financial capital, inadequate household infrastructure, and the lack of tourism-related skills. Although women formed the backbone of the service workforce, their participation remains largely confined to direct labor rather than decision-making or resource management. The study outlines four key pathways to enhance women's participation: bolstering institutional and policy frameworks, developing capacity, upgrading infrastructure, and fortifying social capital for more meaningful and enduring involvement