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

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.