Research Reveals No Significant Gender Differences in Tourism Business Performance, Except in Contra-Business Networking

Strategic Insights -

Researchers at the University of Zululand have conducted a study that evaluated gender nuances in the development of entrepreneurial capabilities within tourism business operations in the Gauteng Province, South Africa. The findings of the study, which sampled 206 tourism entrepreneurs, indicated that there are no significant gender differences in various aspects of business management, such as traditional societal perceptions, entrepreneurial attributes, marketing capability, and government support. However, the study found that gender identity played a role in contra-business networking, where female entrepreneurs agreed more to engaging in contra-business networking due to a lack of time and awareness of tourism business networks in their area.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study sampled 206 tourism entrepreneurs in the Gauteng Province, South Africa, and used Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), Reliability test, and Mann-Whitney test to analyze the data.
  • The researchers found no significant gender differences in various aspects of business management, such as traditional societal perceptions, entrepreneurial attributes, marketing capability, and government support.
  • However, the study found that gender identity played a role in contra-business networking, where female entrepreneurs agreed more to engaging in contra-business networking due to a lack of time and awareness of tourism business networks in their area.
  • The study recommended that female tourism entrepreneurs use social media sites such as Facebook to empower and support themselves, to help close social policy gaps in South Africa.
  • This study argues that gender identity plays no significant role in developing tourism entrepreneurial capabilities for business success, contrary to previous studies.

Statistics:

  • 206 tourism entrepreneurs were sampled in the study.
  • The study found no significant gender differences in 6 out of 7 aspects of business management.
  • 71% of female entrepreneurs agreed to engage in contra-business networking, citing a lack of time and awareness of tourism business networks in their area.

Sources:

  • Does gender identity play a role in the development of tourism entrepreneurial capabilities?. Acta Commercii, 2025,25(1):e1-e12. (Acta Commercii - http://www.actacommercii.co.za).