Challenges to Cracking the Glass Ceiling among Saudi Women in the Tourism Industry
Women’s participation in the tourism workforce is growing intensely in response to Saudi Vision 2030. Notwithstanding this, Saudi women still have limited access to senior management positions. This study explores the barriers that Saudi women face to reach top managerial positions in the tourism in...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Tourism and Hospitality |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/5/1/14 |
| _version_ | 1797239162763476992 |
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| author | Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih Ahmed E. Abu Elnasr |
| author_facet | Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih Ahmed E. Abu Elnasr |
| author_sort | Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Women’s participation in the tourism workforce is growing intensely in response to Saudi Vision 2030. Notwithstanding this, Saudi women still have limited access to senior management positions. This study explores the barriers that Saudi women face to reach top managerial positions in the tourism industry and explores how Saudi women could crack the glass ceiling. For these reasons, this study undertook a phenomenological approach using in-depth interviews with Saudi women who were able to reach senior management. The purpose of the interviews is to explore their lived experience and their accessibility to senior management positions. The results of a thematic analysis showed that there were four overlapped barriers for the glass ceiling among Saudi women: cultural and social barriers, regulatory barriers, organizational barriers, and personal barriers. These main barriers have sub-barriers that contribute to the glass ceiling and prevent many women from reaching senior positions. This study shows that overcoming these barriers, particularly cultural and social barriers, could help Saudi women to crack the glass ceiling and achieve their dream of leadership. This study discusses the implications for policy makers, academics, and practitioners on the effective contribution of Saudi women to the tourism labor market, which contributes to sustainable tourism development and, ultimately, to Saudi Vision 2030. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:47:09Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5503920edcdc4758b8160ce57c748f4c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2673-5768 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T17:47:09Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Tourism and Hospitality |
| spelling | doaj.art-5503920edcdc4758b8160ce57c748f4c2024-03-27T14:06:06ZengMDPI AGTourism and Hospitality2673-57682024-03-015120322410.3390/tourhosp5010014Challenges to Cracking the Glass Ceiling among Saudi Women in the Tourism IndustryAbu Elnasr E. Sobaih0Ahmed E. Abu Elnasr1Management Department, College of Business Administration, King Faisal University, Al-Hassa 31982, Saudi ArabiaHigher Institute for Specific Studies, Future Academy, Cairo P.O. Box 11771, EgyptWomen’s participation in the tourism workforce is growing intensely in response to Saudi Vision 2030. Notwithstanding this, Saudi women still have limited access to senior management positions. This study explores the barriers that Saudi women face to reach top managerial positions in the tourism industry and explores how Saudi women could crack the glass ceiling. For these reasons, this study undertook a phenomenological approach using in-depth interviews with Saudi women who were able to reach senior management. The purpose of the interviews is to explore their lived experience and their accessibility to senior management positions. The results of a thematic analysis showed that there were four overlapped barriers for the glass ceiling among Saudi women: cultural and social barriers, regulatory barriers, organizational barriers, and personal barriers. These main barriers have sub-barriers that contribute to the glass ceiling and prevent many women from reaching senior positions. This study shows that overcoming these barriers, particularly cultural and social barriers, could help Saudi women to crack the glass ceiling and achieve their dream of leadership. This study discusses the implications for policy makers, academics, and practitioners on the effective contribution of Saudi women to the tourism labor market, which contributes to sustainable tourism development and, ultimately, to Saudi Vision 2030.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/5/1/14glass ceilinggender equalitySDG 5career progressionleadershipwomen’s empowerment |
| spellingShingle | Abu Elnasr E. Sobaih Ahmed E. Abu Elnasr Challenges to Cracking the Glass Ceiling among Saudi Women in the Tourism Industry Tourism and Hospitality glass ceiling gender equality SDG 5 career progression leadership women’s empowerment |
| title | Challenges to Cracking the Glass Ceiling among Saudi Women in the Tourism Industry |
| title_full | Challenges to Cracking the Glass Ceiling among Saudi Women in the Tourism Industry |
| title_fullStr | Challenges to Cracking the Glass Ceiling among Saudi Women in the Tourism Industry |
| title_full_unstemmed | Challenges to Cracking the Glass Ceiling among Saudi Women in the Tourism Industry |
| title_short | Challenges to Cracking the Glass Ceiling among Saudi Women in the Tourism Industry |
| title_sort | challenges to cracking the glass ceiling among saudi women in the tourism industry |
| topic | glass ceiling gender equality SDG 5 career progression leadership women’s empowerment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2673-5768/5/1/14 |
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