The Stress from My Tour Leading Job: Differences between Genders

Abstract

This study compared job stressors between female and male Tour Leaders (TLs) operating in South America, mainly Peru and Bolivia. In 2017, 82 TLs were surveyed about their level of stress on 30 items representing four sources of job stress: job roles, nature of the job, tourists’ attitudes and behaviors, and external factors. Statistical tests determined that female TLs perceive higher levels of stress from sexual harassment, natural disasters, facilitating the tourists-locals interaction, having limited free time during trips and constant packing/unpacking. Male TLs reported higher levels of stress when tourists supersede their authority. These results indicate the need to amend policy and managerial guidelines to increase gender equity in the tour leading profession.