rural women; The key link of sustainable development of tourism and local economy

Mehran Hosni, a researcher and analyst of tourism development policies and a member of the Iran Tourism Specialists Association, wrote in a note on the occasion of the International Rural Women's Day: In the analysis of rural tourism capacities, nature, native architecture, handicrafts, local food and ecotourism accommodations are usually mentioned; But behind many of these capacities, there is a human capital whose contribution to the creation of tourism value is seen less than its actual value: rural women. A woman who preserves the knowledge of local food preparation, transfers handicraft skills to the next generation, is familiar with seasonal products and natural capacities, and narrates rural rituals and lifestyle, does not just deal with daily activities; He is preserving the intangible heritage and creating part of the experience that the tourist travels to achieve.

But the basic question is: Is women's share of the economic value created in tourism proportional to the role they play in its creation?

invisible economy; Beyond job creation

One of the limitations of the common view of rural women is to reduce their role to job creation, handicraft production or activities in ecotourism residences. The main issue is beyond employment and is formed in the relationship between three components: value creation, benefits and decision-making power.

Women may play an effective role in producing local products, preparing food, transmitting indigenous knowledge, and hosting tourists, but have limited access to markets, financial resources, and business management. In such a situation, tourism takes advantage of their capabilities, without necessarily providing them with a proportional share of economic benefits.

Therefore, the success of rural tourism should not be measured only by the number of tourists, accommodations or the amount of investment; Women's share of income, ownership and management of businesses and their participation in decision-making should also be indicators of development evaluation.

From heritage preservers to tourism experience architects

Today's tourism is more oriented towards original and collaborative experiences than in the past. This transformation provides an opportunity to transform indigenous knowledge of women into distinctive tourism products; From experiencing local food and seasonal agricultural activities to teaching handicrafts and telling the oral history of the village.

In this model, the village woman is not just a provider of a service; Rather, it can be the designer of the tourism experience and one of the creators of the destination's competitive advantage. Of course, the economic exploitation of his knowledge and skills must be accompanied by the satisfaction of the owners of this knowledge and their fair enjoyment of benefits.

This capacity is especially important in Mazandaran, with the link between agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts, local food and rural residences. Connecting these activities together can create local value chains and keep a greater share of tourism income in the village.

participation in decision-making; The neglected circle of development

Women's empowerment reaches a sustainable result when it goes beyond education and employment and provides the possibility of influencing development decisions. Women should play an effective role in designing tourism products, managing businesses, protecting cultural and natural heritage, and determining village development priorities.

To realize this goal, three actions are necessary: first, identifying and designing tourism value chains with women's economic participation; Second, creating local networks for education, joint marketing and sales of products; And third, compiling indicators to measure women's share of tourism income, business management and decision-making process.

International Rural Women's Day is an opportunity beyond celebration and appreciation; An opportunity to review the model of rural tourism development.

If women play a role in creating the tourism experience, they should also share in its economic benefits; If their knowledge is part of the cultural capital of the destination, their rights to protect and exploit this capital should be recognized; And if the development of tourism affects their lives, they should participate in making decisions about the future of the village.

The real development of rural tourism will be realized when women are seen not only in employment statistics, but also in the structure of the economy, business ownership, distribution of benefits and the destination decision-making system. This is the necessary transition from the invisible economy of women to their empowerment in sustainable rural development.