As Indonesia’s tourism industry continues to grow, gender dynamics play a crucial role in shaping its direction and sustainability. Gender inequality remains a significant challenge, often hindering women from contributing freely without discrimination. This issue was highlighted by Anindwitya Rizqi Monica, S.Par., M.Si., Co-Founder & Strategic Director of Women in Tourism Indonesia (WTID), a non-governmental organization advocating for gender equality in tourism. A young and lively tourism activist, , Monica, as she is commonly known, invites us to explore how collective efforts in women’s empowerment can create a more inclusive environment while promoting gender equality across all aspects of Indonesia’s tourism industry.
Monica, currently an adjunct instructor for the Tourism and Gender course at the Tourism Study Program at UGM, aligns with Dr. Wiwik Sushartami, M.A. (a lecturer in the same program), confirming that gender dynamics in tourism are largely based on the relationship between hosts and tourists. Monica further adds that the key performance indicator (KPI) in tourism is customer satisfaction, emphasizing how tourism professionals strive to meet visitors’ expectations. In practice, gender issues are no longer merely about the imbalance in the number of men and women managing tourism but rather about how each gender can participate and exercise their rights equally.
“The statistical figures we see in tourism may seem promising. We often hear that 55% of tourism workers are women. But should we be content with that when so many other gender imbalances still exist?” Monica emphasizes the existence of gender dynamics in the tourism industry. Beyond the host-tourist relationship and customer satisfaction, Monica also points out that gender dynamics in tourism are influenced by power relations and societal views, which often reduce women to mere objects.
On a deeper level, regarding gender inequality, Monica sees the patriarchal system as a fundamental reason behind this issue. She adds that in the tourism industry, customer satisfaction often normalizes these problems, ultimately reinforcing biases in tourism practices. For instance, roles are often assigned based on appearance, where women deemed attractive are expected to serve as greeters (among tamu). This perspective not only strengthens stereotypes based on physical appearance but also overlooks women’s competencies and contributions to the industry. Furthermore, such thinking has long been ingrained in societal mindsets.
To mainstream gender equality, Monica highlights the urgency of raising awareness through education and training. More importantly, high-quality research can serve as a foundation for formulating relevant policies. These policies can then be translated into more targeted and effective programs. In this context, the government’s role in policy-making is crucial, while NGOs can act as enablers, implementing these policies to ensure gender mainstreaming efforts are effectively carried out. Achieving optimal results as enablers requires a shared understanding of common goals among various stakeholders.
Monica provides specific insights from her experiences in raising gender awareness within communities. Changing mindsets about gender issues in places like tourism villages must be done gradually. Approaches should start in small groups or even on a door-to-door basis. This must also be reinforced by written policies, such as statutes and bylaws women’s roles in tourism management. She further emphasizes the need for government enforcement of such policies.
Monica remains optimistic about the role of younger generations, particularly Generation Z and millennials, in driving gender mainstreaming in the tourism industry. To Monica, their understanding of gender equality can be a game changer, leading to significant transformation. As an adjunctlecturer, Monica observes that her students already have a strong grasp of gender equality issues, along with the ability to identify and address key concerns by engaging directly with communities.
Monica’s confidence in young people is one of the core missions of the organization she co-founded. For over five years, WTID has been working towards a more inclusive tourism industry by promoting gender equality in line with SDG 5 (Gender Equality). One of WTID’s goals is to empower young individuals to become gender equality heroes. Additionally, to support SDG 4 (Quality Education), WTID collaborates with various organizations, corporations, and institutions, including the UGM Tourism Study Program. Beyond classroom education, WTID also provides internship opportunities for students to contribute directly to women’s empowerment.
More information about WTID: womenintourismindonesia.org
[Photo source: Instagram @moonicss]