Empowering Women in Community-Based Tourism: A Close Look at Tourism Villages

Authors

• Tristanti Tristanti, Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, IndonesiaFollow
• Ismi Dwi Astuti Nurhaeni, Universitas Sebelas Maret, IndonesiaFollow
• Mulyanto Mulyanto, Universitas Sebelas Maret, IndonesiaFollow
• Ratna Devi Sakuntalawati, Universitas Sebelas Maret, IndonesiaFollow

Abstract

This study examines women's empowerment in community-based tourism in Nglanggeran Tourist Village, Indonesia. Using an interpretive phenomenological approach, it explores how women experience the empowerment process within a rural tourism setting. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with five women actively involved in tourism activities and analyzed thematically. Findings show that empowerment follows five interconnected stages: raising awareness through women's groups, identifying programs based on local tourism potential, designing need-based initiatives, implementing training and mentoring, and evaluating programs through participatory discussions. Active participation and integration of local resources drive the process. Participants reported greater self-confidence, positive mindset changes, improved employment opportunities, and increased income. This study extends community-based tourism literature by proposing a locally grounded empowerment process that links community participation, local resources, and women's economic empowerment. The findings offer practical guidance for policymakers and tourism practitioners in designing inclusive and sustainable empowerment programs for rural tourism communities.

Keywords

women’s empowerment, community based-tourism, tourism village

Author Bio(s)

Tristani Sebelas (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7863-575X) is a qualitative researcher and lecturer at Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta, Indonesia. He is interested in community empowerment of tourism topics. Please direct correspondence to [email protected]

Ismi Dwi Astuti Nurhaeni is a professor at Universitas Sebelas Maret, Indonesia and an expert in Public Policy and Gender Issues. Please direct correspondence to [email protected]

Mulyanto is a professor at Universitas Sebelas Maret, Indonesia and an expert in art education and community empowerment. Please direct correspondence to [email protected]

Ratna Devi Sakuntalawati is a qualitative researcher and lecturer at Universitas Sebelas Maret, Indonesia, and an expert in Development and Social Change. Please direct correspondence to [email protected]

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Sebelas Maret University, the manager of the Nglanggeran tourism village, all research informants, and all parties who have helped carry out this research.

Publication Date

10-31-2026

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.

Recommended APA Citation

Tristani, Nurhaeni, I. D. A., Mulyanto, & Sakuntalawati, R. D. (2026). Empowering women in community-based tourism: A close look at tourism villages. The Qualitative Report, 31(10), 6812-6840.