Tourism, education and women’s empowerment. The case of the women weavers of Chinchero (Cusco, Peru)

Abstract

This article studies the relationship between tourism, education, and women’s empowerment through ethnographic research in the rural town of Chinchero (Cusco, Peru). The participant observation and interviews with Quechua-speaking women weavers working in textile centers show the importance of tourism as an economic resource and educational resource for them and their children. Beyond the investment in education through tourism income, it is argued that interaction with tourists offers weavers a platform to acquire, practice, and improve their language (English and Spanish) and public speaking skills. This second little-studied aspect allows us to understand how economic and educational elements favor female empowerment in the rural Andes, taking into account its possibilities and limitations.