Influence of Gender on Residents’ Perceptions of Tourism Impacts in Southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

Research on residents’ perceptions of tourism has become a global area of discourse because such research is needed in planning and managing tourism. Earlier research focused on advanced economies and destinations where tourism has advanced, with limited literature on case studies within emerging economies. Thus, research on how gender influences residents’ perceptions of regional tourism is limited, implying that we know little in that domain. This paper reports on the findings of ethnographic interviews conducted with selected women participants in Southeastern Nigeria. The findings show no significant impacts of gender on tourism but identified culture, unequal power distribution, and fear of neglect as issues that influence how women perceive tourism in the region. We conclude that the cultural dynamics in destinations within emerging economies can be a dominant variable that influences how residents perceive tourism and should be given more attention, especially in Africa.