Asian women, solo travel: A conceptual framework of risk in the gendered and cultured tourism context

Abstract

Concerns of safety risks, particularly those gender specific risks such as sexualized gaze and sexual harassment have been frequently reported in prior studies concerning solo female travellers (SFT). It has also been suggested that the effect of risks is amplified on Asian SFT. Despite its apparent significance, the risk perception of SFT has not been studied in its own right, nor has it been theorized in a gender- and/or culture-sensitive approach. This study attempts to construct a conceptual framework that situates the risk perception of Asian SFT within the sociocultural context using a gendered lens. The gendered and cultured tourism space provides an effective micro-social context to investigate the power relations underlying gender and social structure. In the case of solo travel, the power relations present in the form of gendered risks (e.g. women risk being sexually objectified when travelling alone) which are further mediated by cultural norms (e.g. the gendered risks are amplified on Asian SFT). The keys ideas are summarized in a conceptual framework. Recommendations for future research are proposed.