Mitigating Gender Inequality in Rural Regions: The Effects of Tourism Employment in Namibia

We examine the effects of tourism employment on gender inequality in Namibia. We find that tourism contributes to local livelihoods by providing opportunities for cash income through employment, craft sales and shareholder profits from tourism enterprises. In general, male-headed households are economically better off. Female-headed households with tourism employment are better off than those without and are as equally well-off as male-headed households. We find no significant statistical difference between male-headed households with tourism employment and those without it. These findings suggest that tourism provides specific advantages for women and helps mitigate gender inequality in areas where tourism employment is available.