Women’s Empowerment and Tourism Lifestyle Entrepreneurship in Zanzibar

Abstract

This chapter links women’s empowerment and tourism lifestyle entrepreneurship in Zanzibar. It shows that women who live in tourism destinations see the possibilities to engage in tourism through lifestyle entrepreneurship and gain the benefits that the industry offers. However, their lifestyle is constrained by both societal norms and tourism industry requirements. As a result, they have to create a space that allows them to cope with these situations. Through in-depth interviews, the study found that women have been creating spaces by choosing to be entrepreneurs who either produce items for tourists in their households or sell their products directly to the tourists. Moreover, by working in the tourism industry, they have to choose a pathway to follow when engaging in lifestyle entrepreneurship, that is, whether to seek tradition, income or growth. So, for them, empowerment is achieved if they can make their own choices.