Women are strongly represented in the tourism workforce, albeit mainly in low-level, precarious positions. In management or on board of directors, on the other hand, women are seriously underrepresented. Interviews with female leaders from management associations in Catalonia (Spain) allowed us to identify the associations' goals and roles, the barriers women have encountered in their pursuit of high-level corporate positions, and the challenges to female leadership that lie ahead. Female associations support the UN's Sustainable Development Goal 5, creating awareness of gender barriers, enhancing social conscience on gender equality in decision-making bodies, and expanding professional networks and access to resources. Our findings show that these associations empower women by means of different strategies acting as active agents of change that help transform both their members and society.

妇女在旅游业劳动力中有很强的代表性，尽管主要是处于低水平，不稳定的职位。另一方面，在管理层或董事会中，女性任职人数严重不足。对来自加泰罗尼亚（西班牙）管理协会的女性领导者的访谈使我们能够确定协会的目标和角色，女性在追求高级公司职位时遇到的障碍以及面临的女性领导者挑战。女性协会支持联合国的可持续发展目标5，提高人们对性别障碍的认识，增强决策机构对性别平等的社会意识，并扩大专业网络和获取资源的渠道。