Transformations of women in tourism work: A case study of emancipation in rural Nepal

The research examined a single case study of a female owned and operated, adventure trekking agency in Nepal. We use the case study to explore and understand the praxis for transformation of women through working, the tourism industry as the mechanism, and the ways in which they experience emancipation through engagement with trekking in remote areas. One of the organisation’s founders and a number of current staff were interviewed through open-ended questions. Their triangulated data were used to develop a grounded theory, case study of lived experiences for women in rural Nepali tourism; focusing on their backgrounds, lived experiences, barriers preventing engagement, the positive and negative sides to tourism work and the industry, avenues of support, and outcomes.