Different Views of Labor in the Tourism Industry: Immigrants, Women and Children Cover Image

Turizm Endüstrisinde İşçiliğin Farklı Görünümleri: Göçmenler, Kadınlar ve Çocuklar
Different Views of Labor in the Tourism Industry: Immigrants, Women and Children

Author(s): Zelal Beyaz
Subject(s): Business Economy / Management, Labor relations, Tourism, Human Resources in Economy, Socio-Economic Research
Published by: SD Yayınevi
Keywords: Tourism industry; tourism workers; migrant labor force; women labor force; child labor force;

Summary/Abstract: With the reorganization of production and labor processes since the mid-1970s, the tourism industry has become one of the fastest growing economic activities around the world. Due to the labor intensive production structure, this transition has brought a significant increase in labor demand; thereby starting a labor flow towards the industry. In tourism, where proletarianization, informalization, precarious and flexible work can be clearly seen, especially migrant, female and child labor emerge as the groups with the highest levels of exploitation, inequality and abuse. The aim of this study is to assess the level and forms of inequalities and exploitation through migrant, women and child labor and also understand through which mechanisms they are reconstructed in tourism industry. One of the results of this study is that in the industry immigrants are more exposed to unfavorable and precarious working conditions, ill-treatment and racist approaches. In addition, seeing the work as an extension of the gender roles imposed on women in the industry increases women’s employment and also it strengthens gender-based inequalities. Child labor, who are seen as a cheap and easily manageable labor in the industry, are both physically and sexually exploited under the name of ‘sex tourism’. Tourism enterprises achieve their aims to reduce cost through employment of migrants, women and children; and it both deepens and expands the exploitation of labor.

  • Issue Year: 6/2020
  • Issue No: 10
  • Page Range: 65-101
  • Page Count: 37
  • Language: Turkish
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