Belizean women and tourism work

Abstract

Belizean women’s employment experiences in alternative, mass, and non-tourism businesses are examined to determine whether the alternative sector addresses criticisms attributed to mass tourism employment. Data were gathered using anthropological research methods including semistructured interviews and participant observation. The research highlights the diversity of experiences in various employment sectors. This case study shows that employment is exploiting traditional belief, particularly in reference to sex-based segregation, housewifization of labor, double workday, low wages, and low education levels. However, in terms of household economic decisionmaking, social interaction, business ownership, and levels of autonomy, employment seems to be offering opportunities to challenge the norm.

Résumé

Béliziennes et le travail du tourisme: occasion ou obstacle? On examine les expériences de travail des Béliziennes dans des entreprises non touristiques, de masse et alternatives pour déterminer si le secteur alternatif répond aux critiques des emplois du tourisme de masse. On a cueilli des données en employant des méthodes de recherche anthropologiques, y compris des entrevues semi structurées et des observations des participantes. La recherche souligne la diversité des situations dans les différents secteurs. Ce cas d’étude montre que le travail exploite les croyances traditionnelles, surtout ségrégation basée sur le sexe, informalisation du travail féminin, double journée de travail, bas salaire et bas niveau d’éducation. Pourtant, en termes de prise de décisions économiques à la maison, interaction sociale, possession de l’entreprise et niveaux d’autonomie, le travail semble offrir des occasions pour contester la norme. Mots-clés: tourisme alternatif, écotourisme, travail, femmes, Belize.

Introduction

Tourism is the world’s largest industry and employer (Apostolopoulos and Sonmez 2001). The World Travel and Tourism Council estimates that it employs up to one in six workers in the Caribbean (Pattullo 1996:53). However, such work is often noted for its negative aspects, particularly for women (de Kadt, 1984, Faulkenberry et al., 2000, Levy and Lerch, 1991, McLaren, 1998, Momsen, 1994, Pattullo, 1996, Smith, 1989). While women have only recently become a topic of tourism research, Swain (1990) notes that generally men and women are unequally impacted by it. Bolles (1997) explains that women’s importance in the industry is often minimized or referenced primarily in terms of sex work. Researchers have been urged to focus on the variety of women’s experiences in the industry rather than assuming homogeniety (Kinnaird and Hall 1994), with Bolles arguing that “tourism becomes a vehicle for exploring the differences and commonalities among women” (1997:84).

This article examines the impact of employment on Belizean women by comparing and contrasting their experiences working in mass and alternative tourism establishments. The data presented show that some opportunities arise because of the “housewifization of labor,” which Mies explains as the creation of employment based on and tied to traditional ideas regarding the assignment of tasks such as cooking and cleaning (Bennholdt-Thomsen, 1984, Von Werlhof, 1988). Nevertheless, some women have seized these opportunities to exploit the limited available markets and to gained autonomy by becoming business owners. The aim of this article is to examine the impacts of employment in different forms of tourism. Does the alternative option offer opportunities beyond those conventionally found in mass tourism employment? Does employment create opportunities for women to gain increased status or are they exploited? Is there a difference depending on the sector in which they are employed or is the difference based on the type of work they perform?