The role of gender, patriarchy and culture in the Asian female travel experience.

Abstract

This study provides a unique insight into the travel experiences of Asian female tourists, a topic that to date has received limited consideration within the tourism literature. It is often suggested that travel experiences are socially constructed, therefore it is difficult to separate women’s travel experiences from their sociocultural living situation. Social and cultural interactions are gendered, hence gender plays a crucial role in travel experiences. Considering the rapid growth of tourism in Asia, there has been a shift in academic interest in recent years in tourism within the Asian context. Yet there remains much to be understood about the experiences of Asian female travellers. The aim of this study is to explore the link between tourism, gender and patriarchy with the focus on the Asian female tourist experience. In order to meet the aim of the research, this study adopts an interpretivist approach and a feminist lens to analyse and interpret the data obtained from narrative interviews with 15 Asian women. The findings are delineated into two main themes: the influence of tradition and culture on gender roles in Asia and the relationship between culture and the Asian female travel experience. This study highlights the significance of gender roles and socio-cultural traditions in Asian women's lives and their influence on their travel behaviour and experiences. The study demonstrates that travel is used as a coping mechanism, as a tool for women to negotiate resistance, empowerment and self- transformation, and a vehicle for contributing to social change for women in Asia. The findings suggest that the relationship between culture and Asian women's travel experiences is complex and multifaceted. Prior to this study, the socio-cultural aspects of Asian women's travel experiences have received limited consideration thus this study makes an important contribution to knowledge on the significance of socio-cultural traditions in influencing the Asian female tourist experience. A conceptual framework highlights the influence of culture and patriarchy on the Asian female tourist experience.