The Role of Women in the Sustainable Tourism Economy: Insights from Türkiye's "Future is in Tourism" Project

Tourism is one of the sectors where sustainable development activities are becoming a priority as sustainable development becomes a global agenda. Tourism, one of the fastest growing industries in the world, has a significant impact on economic growth and development, as well as on the environment and socio-cultural structure. Sustainable development goals cannot be achieved without acknowledging the important role of women. Women's employment in the tourism sector is an important issue, and many studies addressing women's employment can be found in the literature. However, the place of women in the sustainable tourism economy should be evaluated from a broad perspective. This study aims to determine women's role and involvement in the development of the sustainable tourism economy in Türkiye and to understand how Turkish women the main drivers of cultural and environmental preservation in the country are. The study employs a qualitative approach based on a literature review, utilizing both primary and secondary sources. Turkish women have a vital role in the preservation of culture and the environment in Türkiye. In this context, the Future is in Tourism project, which is one of the prominent initiatives in sustainable women's employment in Türkiye, is evaluated to reveal its contributions to enhancing women's place in the economy. In addition to the literature-based findings, semi-structured interviews were conducted with women actively involved in the project to gain in-depth insight into their lived experiences and perspectives.