The role of women in rural tourism: a study in the Planaltina's Rajadinha circuit - Federal Districts

El papel de la mujer en el turismo rural: un estudio en el circuito Rajadinha de Planaltina - Distrito Federal

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the reality of women working in rural tourism in the region of Planaltina, Federal District (FD). It contributes, therefore, to the discussion of gender and tourism in the context of rural tourism. This, while sub-modality of Tourism in Rural Areas (TRA), is a segment of the countryside and includes the range of non-agricultural activities that have been developed in the rural areas in recent years as a strategy for maintenance and survival. Simultaneous with these functional changes of the rural space, new forms of organization of family life are observed, in which the proximity between the tasks performed in the domestic environment and rural tourism activities contributes to the redefinition of roles and gender division of labor. Thus, this study was carried out in the Rajadinha Circuit, a project created in 2014 in the region of Planaltina, FD. Of the 10 properties that make up the Circuit, eight participated in the study and 10 women were surveyed. This work is characterized as a qualitative case study. A semi-structured interview script was applied to understand the reality of women who work directly in the development of rural tourism in the Circuit. The results suggest that the rural tourism activities promoted a positive relationship between women and men involved. We observed that in the Circuit female labor is not just a supplementary activity, it is a key element for maintaining rural tourism on the farms studied and takes the leading role in this rural context.

Keywords:
Tourism in Rural Areas; Rural Tourism; Gender Studies.

Resumen

Este estudio objetiva investigar la realidad de las mujeres que trabajan en el turismo rural de la región de Planaltina-DF. Contribuye, por lo tanto, a la temática género y turismo, sobremanera, relacionando al turismo rural. Este, mientras submodalidad del Turismo en el Espacio Rural (TER), surge como segmento del campo e integra la gama de actividades no agrícolas que pasaron a ser desarrolladas en el campo en los últimos años como estrategia de mantenimiento y supervivencia. Simultánea a estos cambios funcionales del espacio rural, se observan nuevas formas de organización de la vida familiar, en el cual la proximidad entre las tareas realizadas en el ambiente doméstico con la actividad turística en el medio rural permite la reestructuración de las funciones y de la división de trabajo entre géneros. De esta forma, este estudio fue realizado en el Circuito Rajadinha, Proyecto creado en 2014 en la región de Planaltina-DF. De las 10 propiedades que componen el Circuito, ocho participaron del estudio y de esas 10 mujeres fueron investigadas. Este trabajo se caracteriza como un estudio de caso de cuño cualitativo. Se aplicó un guión de entrevista semi-estructurado en la búsqueda de entender la realidad de las mujeres que actúan directamente en el desarrollo del turismo rural en el Circuito. Se constató que el turismo rural promovido establece una relación positiva entre mujeres y hombres involucrados. Se observó que en el Circuito la mano de obra femenina no es vista sólo como actividad complementaria, sino que actúa como elemento esencial para el mantenimiento del turismo rural en las propiedades investigadas y asume papel principal de ese escenario rural.

Palabras clave:
Turismo en el Espacio Rural; Turismo Rural; Estudios de Género.

Resumo

Este estudo objetiva investigar a realidade das mulheres que trabalham no turismo rural da região de Planaltina-DF. Contribui, portanto, para a temática gênero e turismo, sobremaneira, relacionando ao turismo rural. Este, enquanto submodalidade do Turismo no Espaço Rural (TER), surge como segmento do campo e integra a gama de atividades não agrícolas que passaram a ser desenvolvidas no campo nos últimos anos como estratégia de manutenção e sobrevivência. Simultânea a essas mudanças funcionais do espaço rural, observam-se novas formas de organização da vida familiar, no qual a proximidade entre as tarefas realizadas no ambiente doméstico com a atividade turística no meio rural permite a reestruturação das funções e da divisão de trabalho entre gêneros. Dessa forma, este estudo foi realizado no Circuito Rajadinha, Projeto criado em 2014 na região de Planaltina-DF. Das 10 propriedades que compõem o Circuito, oito participaram do estudo e dessas 10 mulheres foram investigadas. Este trabalho caracteriza-se como estudo de caso de cunho qualitativo. Aplicou-se um roteiro de entrevista semi-estruturado na busca de entender a realidade das mulheres que atuam diretamente no desenvolvimento do turismo rural no Circuito. Constatou-se que o turismo rural promovido estabelece uma relação positiva entre mulheres e homens envolvidos. Observou-se que no Circuito a mão de obra feminina não é vista apenas como atividade complementar, mas atua como elemento essencial para a manutenção do turismo rural nas propriedades investigadas e assume papel principal desse cenário rural.

Palavras-chave:
Turismo no Espaço Rural; Turismo Rural; Estudos de Gênero.

1 INTRODUCTION

This study aims to investigate the reality of women in the rural area of the Planaltina region, Federal District (FD). We intend to discuss the role of women working in this context, in order to understand their reality in the multifunctional environment of rural areas.

Therefore, we decided to study the rural properties that make up the Rajadinha Circuit, a project created in 2014 and coordinated by the Federal District Technical Assistance and Extension Company (Emater-DF), whose purpose is to promote the development of the rural communities located in the Agricultural Colony Rajadinha I and Planaltina, FD, through Rural Tourism.

The rural environment linked to tourism has given rise to a new segment that has been gradually expanding. Tourism in rural areas is considered a non-agricultural activity and comprises tourism activities in rural areas/environments.

Thus, rural tourism, understood as one of the tourism modalities developed in rural areas, refers to the set of activities of the tourism sector developed in the rural environment, in which the agricultural production, among other traditional activities, is the main practice.

Rural tourism promotes economic and social development. Besides contributing to economic growth, with job creation and income generation, it affects also the social tissue, since it contributes to the improvement of the quality of life of the residents providing basic infrastructure and preventing rural exodus.

In this context, along with rural tourism new forms of family organization arise affecting the division of labor, whenever the proximity between the tasks performed in the domestic environment and the rural productive activity contributes to the redefinition of roles and gender division of labor

In this respect, for many years gender-based division of labor has prevailed, in which the physical force necessary to perform a task was used as a justification, that is, jobs requiring more strength were considered more suitable for males, whereas lighter tasks were most fitting for females. However, nowadays women occupy positions that were previously exclusively male dominated.

Thus, this study aims to investigate the female workers in the Rajadinha Circuit, located in the region of Planaltina, FD by examining their integration into the workforce. To this end, this study initially presents a theoretical framework on tourism, rural environment, and the role of women in the labor market, the requirements to understand how social actors in rural tourism act, especially the integration of women in the studied Circuit.

2 CONCEPTUAL APPROACH: tOURISM IN RURAL AREAS (tra) AND RURAL TOurism

In the last decades, rural areas were affected by the changes arising from the process of globalization and the advent of modernity. These changes caused rural exodus, with many villagers heading to the cities in search of work and better living conditions. However, many sought to remain in the country by developing strategies to generate a livelihood and, thus, preventing them from leaving.

Therefore, these changes promoted the emergence of non-agricultural activities in rural areas. In this way, Santos et al. (2014) point out that the establishment of other economic activities in the rural environment, known as non-agricultural activities, allowed rural dwellers to diversify the sources of income, besides agriculture and livestock.

Tourism is an ever-changing industry that needs to keep up with innovation, since it is a highly competitive industry faced with the challenge of meeting fast-changing customer demands. Thus, we consider that the tourism market is not homogeneous, it is a segmented market trying to meet the needs of different customers.

Therefore, tourism in rural areas is a segment of tourism that entails practices in the rural environment, giving tourists the opportunity to engage in rural-related activities.

The expressions "Tourism in Rural Areas" and "Rural Tourism", although very similar, are different concepts. While tourism in rural areas covers all possible forms of tourism practiced in the countryside, rural tourism is sub-modality of Tourism in Rural Areas (TRA).

According to Pato (2015), the concept of Tourism in Rural Areas can be understood as tourism activities that take place in the countryside, which have a wide range of meanings and ambiguity making it difficult to have a precise and clear definition.

Thus, we understand that Tourism in Rural Areas refers to all tourism activities developed in rural areas such as agritourism and rural tourism itself (object of the present study). Thus, it can be said that tourism in rural areas includes the range of non-agricultural activities that can be carried out in rural areas, which becomes multifunctional due to the process of modernization and industrialization.

Santos et al. (2014) consider that:

The TER is characterized as a non-agricultural activity, which can be carried out on the farms, to a greater or lesser extent, along with agricultural, industrial, commercial, and service activities, offering families the opportunities of different activities and additional sources of income (Santos et al., 2014, p. 257).

In this sense, tourism in rural areas is an activity that is part of the country’s new landscape, today marked by multiactivity which stops being a space in the productive sphere, solely agricultural, and starts to develop non-agricultural activities. Rural tourism, in turn, can be understood as a segment of the tourism sector with high potential for social and economic development. From the social point of view, rural tourism enables formal and informal working relationships between people of any race, color, and gender, and enhances the quality of life of all stakeholders. The economic benefits arise from the high development potential, with the generation of income and employment.

As far as Cezário, Mestre and Baptista (2015) are concerned, rural tourism refers to the set of activities carried out by tourists in rural areas, in which rural-related activities are developed during the visit.

Therefore, while Tourism in Rural Areas has a broader meaning, encompassing any type of tourism activity developed in the countryside, rural tourism is restricted to tourism activities developed in the rural context in which activities inherent to the rural environment, such as agriculture, livestock among others, must be present in the practice of tourism, i.e., tourists have a strong influence on the performance of activities on the farm.

The difference between "Rural Tourism” and “Tourism in Rural Areas", according to Cezário, Mestre and Baptista (2015), lies in the fact that rural tourism must necessarily be linked to end activities developed in rural areas, i.e., agricultural activities, as well as services that enhance the cultural and natural heritage. All these features must be part of the tourism offer. In turn, the concept of Tourism in Rural Areas refers to the different tourism modalities that can be carried out in the rural environment, aimed at leisure or not. Necessarily, activities characteristic of the rural areas must be carried out. Thus, ecotourism, agritourism, and rural tourism itself constitute the range of tourism activities that can be developed in the country albeit different in nature.

Rural tourism can be an answer to the changes that have occurred in recent years, economic crises, and rural exodus since it is a way of diversifying the source of income of rural dwellers. The countryside becomes a multifaceted environment, as it moves from a purely rural environment to an environment where numerous activities can be carried out. Thus, rural tourism can reduce rural exodus since it allows urban dwellers to experience the customs and traditions of the countryside and even to rediscover their roots.

Rural tourism, in this background, can be envisaged as an alternative to the migration of the producer to the urban environment and thus conceptualized as:

The set of tourism activities developed in rural areas, committed to agricultural production, adding value to products and services, rescuing, and promoting the cultural and natural heritage of the community (MTur, 2008 apud Maia, 2015, p. 7).

Thus, rural tourism is a modality of tourism developed in the countryside in which tourists are involved with agricultural/farming activities, i.e., to qualify as rural tourism tourists must commit to the traditional rural activities carried out on the site.

In line with Cezário, Mestre and Baptista (2015), rural tourism refers to the set of activities carried out by tourists in rural areas, in which traditional rural activities take place during the visit.

In recent years, the countryside has been faced with changes that call for new strategies. One challenge is to develop new activities capable of stopping migration. Thus, rural tourism can be understood as an important strategy to meet these needs, since according to Ramalho (2015),

One of the main positive aspects of tourism is the capacity to create jobs and income, the multiplier effect, among other economic perspectives, which have influenced the increase of activity in strategic positions in the economy of several countries (Ramalho, 2015, p. 225).

Therefore, rural tourism, as a non-agricultural activity, can be understood as a local development strategy since tourism has a great potential to generate income and employment. In this way, the current rural environment has embraced modernity by promoting multiactivity through rural tourism, which boosts the economy and has positive social impacts, such as discouraging people from migrating, as well as improving the quality of life of the inhabitants.

Although relatively recent, rural tourism is an activity with high potential for development, capable of generating significant income and employment. In this way, Amaral (2016) argues that the development of tourism in rural areas means opportunities such as job creation, entrepreneurship, as well as promoting the livelihoods of rural dwellers as traditional activities lose their relevance.

Therefore, rural tourism can be a market opportunity, since the countryside has ceased to be a purely agricultural area, becoming a multi-faceted environment in which non-agricultural activities with high development potential, such as rural tourism, gain market share. Therefore, rural tourism provides economic development, as it promotes employment and, consequently, the generation of income. In addition, it impacts the community by reducing rural exodus and promoting the inclusion of female labor, object of study of the present work.

In keeping with Scótolo and Netto (2015), tourism is a strong development strategy since it can reduce economic and social inequalities through the generation of employment and income. Thus, tourism development can promote economic diversification, improving the quality of life of rural dwellers.

Rural tourism, therefore, as a non-agricultural activity with a socioeconomic dimension, has a high developmental potential. This segment of tourism has contributed to the maintenance of employment and occupation in rural areas, discouraging rural exodus and improving the quality of life of rural dwellers through infrastructure and public services implemented to support the tourism activity.

3 THE QUESTION OF GENDER: THE WOMan’s ROLE IN RURAL TOURISM

Labor relations are considered to have undergone several changes over the last few years. The ever-increasing replacement of workers by technology, causing rising unemployment, as well as the reduction of jobs, has led society to resort to new survival strategies.

In this scenario, regarding female labor force participation in the labor market, Kloster et al. (2015, p. 104) point out that "the advancement of women’s rights is undeniable, in male-dominated occupations, such as technological areas or in rural activities"

Therefore, we can consider that relevant advances were made regarding the participation of female labor in traditional male-dominated areas. This can be justified by the need to supplement the family income, making it an important driver for the inclusion in the workforce within a scenario marked by high rates of unemployment and reduction of family income.

As far the participation of women in rural activities is concerned, Alves, Lima And Nagabe (2016, p. 5) argue that:

Until recently, the main labor relations in the fields were related to male management, while the participation of women was limited to few activities, mainly related to household chores, food preparation, subsistence farming, small animal husbandry and craft production.

These authors suggest that that the participation of women in the labor market refers to the question of gender inequality, in which the differences between male and female determine who does what, justified by principles based in the physical strength required to perform a given job.

In this context, for years, women and men played very different social roles, women lived in an "opaque" way in society, had no active voice and were basically seen as an instrument of procreation, whose only obligations were taking care of the children and the home. Currently, there are visible changes in this situation. Women generate and care for their children, do the housework, work outside, pay bills, vote, receive wages, that is, they have stopped being just a reproductive instrument and become integrated into different areas, participating in the labor market.

Faria (2009 apud Nascimento, 2013) points out that the sexual division of labor in rural areas places men in the productive sphere and women in the reproductive. In this context, men produce, be it food, income, etc., while women reproduce.

Thus, the presence of women in rural activities leads to a restructuring of gender labor division that goes beyond production and reproduction issues. The roles change and women start working outside the home and become source of income.

According to Freitas and Reis (2015), women entering the workforce led to a change in the profile of the labor market and social relations, since many jobs previously performed only by men are now performed also by women.

However, there are still many inequalities in gender division of labor. Regarding this, Herrera (2013) notes that women work, despite going beyond the household chores, is still invisible to society.

Therefore, despite there are women working in the fields, in planting, husbandry, and harvesting, female labor as a whole is not yet recognized by society.

In addition, regarding female labor it is considered that "the growth of women's participation in the labor force was also driven by the increase in the cost of living and the monetization of the economy, forcing women to contribute to household income "(Priore 1997 apud Ramos, Ulbanere & Jesus, 2014, p. 4).

In this way, the feminist struggle toward gender equality has benefited from the participation of women in the labor force, driven by the increase in the cost of living and the need to supplement the household income, both consequences of the advent of modernity and globalization.

Thus, it is understood that the modernization process also affects the activities carried out in rural areas. Agriculture, the main activity in the Brazilian countryside, gave way to a multifaceted environment in search for strategic alternatives for work and survival in rural areas.

In this context, Pato (2015) states that the rural regions encouraged the development of a new form of tourism, characterized as a sustainable and familiar product, thus differentiating from other tourist segments.

Thus, the emergence of other economic activities in the rural area, known as non-agricultural activities, give rural dwellers alternative livelihoods so they can remain there, since traditional activities have proved insufficient to provide an adequate income and to reduce rural exodus.

Lunardi, Souza and Perurena (2015, p. 205) also consider that:

Besides economic value, tourism implies social and cultural values, which mean positive and negative changes. In this sense, women highlight the social valuation that comes from contact with tourists. Today tourism is seen, especially by women, not only as a source of economic resource for the family but also as a source of cultural knowledge, reduction of isolation and social involvement.

Therefore, within the framework of modernity, tourism, when developed in rural areas, encompasses the multifunctionality of the countryside and also promotes the participation of women in the workforce. In this sense, women play a very important social role in the sector, which in turn contributes to the construction of their current social identity.

In this context, Lunardi, Souza and Perurena (2015) argue that rural tourism has enabled the change of the social and professsional identity of the human being since women are included significantly in the labor force and are recognized as tourism entrepreneurs, reinforcing their identity as farmers, since one of the main features of rural tourism is its link with traditional farming activities.

Therefore, rural tourism is not only an additional segment of tourism but instead it is a formal economic and social activity, involving capital and people. It is, also, an important tool for gender equality in the labor market with women assuming a major role in labor relations in the current rural multifunctional context, consistently building their social and professional identity in the labor market.

In this regard, Schmitz and Santos (2013) mention that the female labor force in agricultural activities is seen only as a supplement since men holds the necessary labor force to perform those activities. Man is, then, considered the "head of the family" because he would be the one who has the power to make decisions regarding the production unit.

Although there are still many differences between genders in the workforce, rural tourism is an important area for women to play an active role, performing professional functions with economic and social impact, which promotes gender equality.

4 METHODOLOGY

This article aims to analyze the process of inclusion of women in tourism activities in the Circuit Rajadinha, located in the Agricultural Colony of Rajadinha I in Planaltina, FD. To achieve this objective, the deductive method was used.

The deductive method, according to classical understanding, is the method that starts from general and moves to specific. From principles, laws or theories considered true and indisputable, predicts the occurrence of cases based on logic (Prodanov & Freitas, 2013, p. 27).

Thus, at the beginning of the study, a literature review on rural tourism and on the relationship between genders in rural space and the role of women in rural tourism was carried out. Based on this general theoretical survey, it was possible to analyze specifically the data collected in the Rajadinha Circuit. We emphasize the importance of the literature review to strengthen data analysis.

The present study is characterized as a qualitative case study. Oliveira (2011) points out that this type of research must be carried out in direct contact with the natural environment of the object of study and it aims to collect data and descriptive information. Thus, this research qualifies as qualitative, since it was verified the inclusion of women in rural tourism labor market from the survey of the experiences of working women in the Rajadinha Circuit.

Data collection was conducted in eight of the ten farms that make up the Circuit. In these farms, an interview script was applied to participants in situ. In two cases the survey was carried out by telephone. In the eight establishments investigated the reality of ten women working in the rural tourism of the Circuit was analyzed.

Field research consisted of interviews, a qualitative research technique. On this, Cervo anc Bervian apud Guerra (2014) believe that:

The interview is a face-to-face opportunity to "map and understand the world of respondents’ lives", that is, it provides basic data for "a detailed understanding of the beliefs, attitudes, values and motivations" in relation to the social actors and specific social contexts (Cervo & Bervian, 2007 apud Guerra, 2014, p. 18).

The reason for applying an interview script was due to the need to asses in situ the situation of each woman involved in rural tourism in the Rajadinha Circuit. All interviews were conducted between April and May 2017.

The semi-structured interview consisted of open-ended questions and was divided into two parts. The first was aimed at the owners of the farms involved in the Circuit, with the purpose of characterizing these properties and the respective owners, besides assessing their perspective on female labor in their farms.

The second part of the interview script targeted specifically the working women, seeking to identify the reality of ten women directly involved in rural tourism in the Circuit. In this part, the questions were aimed at their history in the labor market, their perspectives, and opinions about their inclusion in the labor market, more precisely in the rural tourism segment. In addition to the interviews with the owners and the working women in the Circuit, an interview was conducted with the Circuit Project coordinator, a female tourism expert from EMATER-DF, in order to collect data on the emergence and objectives of the Project under analysis.

5 THE RAJADINHA CIRCUIT

This chapter aims to characterize the Rajadinha Circuit, the object of study of this work. Thus, we intended to understand the Rajadinha Circuit proposal, as well as to obtain information about its characteristics and peculiarities.

The Special Secretariat for Family Agriculture and Agrarian Development - MDA (2017), points out that the Rajadinha Circuit is a project in the field of rural tourism, which is coordinated by EMATER-FD, more precisely by the company's office located in Planaltina, FD.

Also, according to the MDA (2017), the Rajadinha Circuit is part of the "Rural Paths of the FD" project. According to EMATER-DF's Circuit coordinator, "this project was created in 2014 and it is a working proposal in the field of Rural Tourism of EMATER-DF and aims to integrate tourism activities into the local productive arrangements of family farming and encourage the commercialization of production associated with tourism."

The Rajadinha Circuit is relatively new, created in 2014. About this, Martimon (2016), points out that being the first tourist circuit of the larger project "Rural Paths of the FD", the Rajadinha Circuit is currently formed by ten farms, located in the Agricultural Colony Rajadinha I, located 40 kilometers from the city of Planaltina, FD, which are part of the Circuit with different offers of tourism products and services.

According to the Project Coordinator,

These farms are family farming, that is, the owners practiced agriculture and the development of tourism in these areas emerged as an opportunity to supplement the income of these families. Thus, a fair takes place every year and the farms that compose the Rajadinha Circuit come together to promote the Agricultural Colony Rajadinha I. Several activities related to rural tourism are offered, such as workshops, visits to the farms in the circuit, besides the sale of handicrafts, organic products, and colonial coffee.

As pointed out previously, the Rajadinha Circuit currently consists of ten properties. As can be observed in Figure 1, the region of Planaltina, FD and the properties that make up the Rajadinha Circuit are located nearby.

Figure 1
Rajadinha Circuit

According to the Project Coordinator, "the ten farms that make up the Rajadinha Circuit are: Chácara Flora Brasília, Sítio Florida, Chácara Fernandes, Chácara Nossa Senhora Aparecida, Chácara Ouro Verde, Chácara LR, Frelmam Jardins, Chácara Serra Linda, Chácara Vida e Luz and Chácara Isasbelas. " For the coordinator, "Currently the Rajadinha Circuit has 10 farms but it is an Open Circuit, that is, in the future more farms can join the Project." It should be noted that these ten properties are located in the Agricultural Colony of Rajadinha I and are close to each other, as can be observed in Figure 2. This facilitated the creation of the Circuit.

Figure 2
The farms that compose the Rajadinha Circuit

The Rajadinha Circuit promotes rural tourism on the farms shown in Figure 2. When questioned about the impact of the Circuit on the women working there, the Project Coordinator considers that:

After the Circuit I noticed changes in women working on the farms, because before they were very reserved and as they started participating in rural tourism through the Circuit their self-esteem improved, they began to want to speak in public, to take photos because before these women hid behind work and did not assume that they were also responsible for the success of the Circuit.

Based on the Project Coordinator report, the importance of the work for women’s life in the Circuit is confirmed, as it has changed their attitude, their empowerment, their performance, safety, and selfes teem. This confirms the social impact the work through rural tourism had on the interviewees.

The farms will then be investigated further.

6 THE STUDIED PROPERTIES

The first part of the interview, aimed at the farm owners, revealed that two farms are managed by women and the other properties are owned by married men. Thus, there are women in all the properties that compose the Rajadinha Circuit, either as direct owners or as co-owners.

Thus, we consider that tourism in rural areas is an integral part of this new countryside, which, in turn, leads to a more even relationship between women and the rural context, since for years the main element of the labor force in rural areas was the man. Thus, in the Rajadinha Circuit it is possible to find women as the main element in the management of two farms in the study.

In terms of sociodemographic characteristics, the owners of the farms that make up the Circuit Rajadinha are aged between 45 and 72 years, with low educational level, i.e., limited to primary schooling.

The activities developed by those involved in the Circuit vary according to the tourism product offered, both during the colony season and throughout the year, through direct sale on the farm or in fairs. As far as the activities developed in the properties are concerned, we identified in five properties the cultivation of ornamental plants; exotic bird breeding; events with colonial coffee, floriculture, and dairy products; landscaping; dining spaces; organic products and venues for events

All the properties in the study join the Rajadinha Circuit approximately 2 to 3 years ago, through EMATER-DF. That is, these farms were pioneers in the Rajadinha Circuit, since the project was created in 2014. The farmers agreed that, before Rajadinha Circuit, no other form of rural tourism took place in their properties. The owners practiced subsistence farming and worked in other farms to support themselves.

7 PERCEPTION OF THE OWNER TOWARD THE ROLE OF WOMEN IN RAJADINHA CIRCUIT

According to authors such as Kloster et al. (2015) and Freitas and Reis (2015), labor relations have undergone several changes over the last few years and, increasingly, women began entering fields or doing jobs that were traditionally male dominated. Thus, according to the farm owners interviewed, the women who work in the Rajadinha Circuit are essential for the smooth running of the activities of each property. According to one of the interviewees, "[...] she has always helped me and it will continue this way always, because if we are where we are today, is because we work together, I wouldn’t be able to do it alone."

This report reveals the importance that the owner of one of the establishments attaches to female labor force, in this case, his partner, for the success of his rural enterprise. Although there are still prejudices with respect to women’s workforce in rural areas which, according to Herrera (2013), is invisible to society, in this interview female labor, often considered as a supplement to family income, is seen as an essential element, according to one of the owners who participate in rural tourism in the Rajadinha Circuit.

According to the other interviewees, women who perform some rural tourism activity within the Circuit are recognized for their work. All of them were evaluated by the farm owners in a positive way, they are regarded as key elements.

The inclusion of women as key elements suggests that the farm owners recognize the importance of female workforce. In addition, this recognition comes from those involved in the Rajadinha Circuit who consider that women are not only competent to do the work but also key to achieving the objectives of the enterprise. This is evident in excerpts from the interview, in which one of the owners, when asked about the inclusion of female labor in rural tourism in his property, mentions that: "[...] first If I put another person, he won’t do what she does [...] ". Further, another interviewee mentions that "a lot of things have improved here in the property with the participation of women in the activities we do".

Along the same lines, another interviewee points out: "[...] women have a gift, they care for family and everything they do for the family they do it with love, which is why our work is going well [...] ". Thus, we observe that women working in rural tourism in the Circuit are evaluated positively by the farm owners studied.

Therefore, women today live in a more open-minded society, wherein they play an important role even in rural areas, where the man has always been the key element. The women who make up the Rajadinha Circuit's workforce are recognized, in addition to giving birth and caring for children, they are competent in the fields and, consequently, in the labor market.

As pointed out by Faria (2009 apud Nascimento, 2013), men are responsible for production and women for reproduction, but among the farms investigated, the presence of female labor is identified as a unique element in the production chain, since women lead two farms in the Circuit.

8 THE PERSPECTIVE OF THE WOMEN INVOLVED IN THE RAJADINHA CIRCUIT

The objective of this chapter is to characterize women in the rural properties of the Rajadinha Circuit, discuss their participation in the labor market and their relationship with rural tourism.

At the beginning of the interviews, even though they were not questioned about this, some women emphasized the role of Emater in the development of the Rajadinha Circuit Project. One of them said that "Emater has helped a lot, changed the notion of work, of working with different things in the property." Another emphasized that "Emater always acts in an exemplary way toward my property".

Based on these reports, the important role of Emater in the development of this Project is underlined, since the technical support these farms are given boosts their confidence in working with rural tourism.

It is verified that the women who act directly in the Rajadinha Circuit are between 44 and 70 years of age. These women are married or widowed, have only primary education. In addition to developing activities related to rural tourism, these women do the housework and care for the family.

The collected data points out that most of the interviewees never had the opportunity to enter the labor market. Of a total of ten women surveyed, three of them have already worked in the industrial sector and domestic service.

When asked if there were already women in the family working in rural tourism, one of the interviewees reports that "there aren’t because there is a lack of education in my family, a lack of opportunity to enter the labor market and a lack of support, because the family did not let me work”.

Similarly, another interviewee reported that:

I entered the job market because I needed to do something paid, until now I hadn’t been given the chance due to lack of education and my husband would not let me work. I believe women face challenges to enter the labor market and it takes courage to face prejudice, as well as a lot of willpower.

These reports show the difficulties these women had in entering the labor market. Prejudice, lack of support from the family, and lack of education are some of the difficulties reported by the interviewees.

The importance of rural tourism for entering the labor market is mentioned by one of the interviewees "rural tourism was important for my integration in the labor market, otherwise I’d be at home doing household chores. Today I try to reconcile the activities on the farm and the housework, my husband, but I make time for everything. "In the same vein, another interviewee mentions that "rural tourism was important for my integration in the job market, if it were not for it I would have to be just looking after the house."

Based on the accounts, we can see that, through rural tourism, these women were able to enter the labor market and today they are able to reconcile their professional activities with their family responsibilities. Despite being busier, these women are satisfied with this challenge imposed on them to reconcile work and family.

On the difficulties of remaining in the tourism segment, one respondent reports that she has not experienced many difficulties in her rural tourism venture but there is "sometimes lack of money and lack of water - environmental issues that make it difficult to stay in the sector". Another interviewee emphasizes that:

Rural tourism is little known so the revenue is not enough, the revenue from rural tourism is still small and we depend on climate issues, there is still little recognition for our work, it is necessary to have a lot of persistence. But I hope for future improvements, that rural tourism develops bringing more quality of life.

However, the opinion of another interviewee is different when she states that "rural tourism facilitated my entry into the labor market. Today it is well recognized. "

It is understood that the need to develop new strategies for survival and maintenance in the countryside to allow the permanence of rural dwellers can be a driver for women’s participation in the labor market. This is consistent with Priore's (1997 apud Ramos, Ulbanere & Jesus, 2014) thinking that women's entry into the labor market is increasing and can be explained by the need to supplement the family income due to the increase in the cost of living and the evolution of economic structures.

However, despite the research showing women involved in rural tourism in the Rajadinha Circuit sought to enter the labor market through tourism, aiming to increase the family income and improving the quality of life, the results of this participation in the workforce took different forms. According to one of the interviewees, her participation resulted in something more than that because, although the total income of the family did not change considerably, the quality of life improved as she gained experience and became more at ease in relating to others. This interviewee reported that "[...] I have no schooling, so I did not know how to relate to people right, I didn’t understand much and today I can say that I understand something […].” In the same vein, another woman, when questioned about her participation in the job market, reports that "I improved my professional qualification, changed my future perspective, learning and qualification. New horizons open, now I’m valued for what I do."

Based on the interviewees’ accounts, we note these women enjoy being in the labor market and this participation yielded a wealth of benefits, many intangibles, such as individual growth and a fresh perspective.

Still in this area, another interviewee mentions that the participation in the labor market through rural tourism:

helped me a lot, with rural tourism I gained experience, I realized the importance of caring for the environment, it improved my and my family’s quality of life. I see a promising future with rural tourism and I see no difficulty in remaining in this field.

About the participation in the job market through rural tourism an interviewee reports "it is very good to be recognized, work makes my life much easier, I do not intend to leave this segment". Another woman reports that "the development of rural tourism has influenced my participation in the labor market, if it were not for rural tourism I wouldn’t know so much about land owning."

These reports show that rural tourism on the farms that make up the Circuit affects the self-esteem of women working there, since they feel more knowledgeable, more confident in communicating and relating to others. They feel relevant in the work they do.

Such reports are consistent with Freitas and Reis (2015), who state that the profile of the labor market and social relations have changed with women now working in traditional male-dominated fields. This fact was verified in Rajadinha Circuit, since in all investigated farms the female labor force is present and these women do jobs that were previously carried out by men, such as weeding, planting, and harvesting

Although rural tourism in the properties visited brought personal benefits to women involved, most of the interviewees pointed out obstacles and challenges to stay in the rural tourism segment. In this way, interviewees reported they are faced with lack of education and sexism against women. One interviewee mentions that "prejudice prevailed from the moment my father did not let us go to school because he said that a woman has to stay at home, so I did not have the opportunity to study." Another interviewee reports that "I certainly suffered prejudice, difficulty in getting around and the difficulty of taking care of children and working".

The position of women in the labor market remains to an extent uncertain. Proof of this are the challenges faced by a small number of women interviewed. However, according to Lunardi, Souza and Perurena (2015), tourism in rural areas has social values that allow positive changes in relation to this situation. In this line, one interviewee mentions that: "[...] we face difficulties every day and also in our work, but I don’t lose heart because I’ve already won a lot getting this far and I can win more [...]".

As pointed out by Schmitz and Santos (2013), women’s work in agriculture and in general in rural areas is seen as a supplement, i.e., men hold the most significant jobs thus have the power to make decisions regarding the unit of production. However, in five farms included in the Rajadinha Circuit, we can see a different situation, wherein women are at the forefront of activities related to rural tourism, driving the entire production chain. Also, there are two farms that are owned by women, that is, all farm-related activities are run by them. One of the farms, for example, is run by a woman, who offers homemade biscuits and other products in colony season and the cultivation of ornamental plants. Thus, with the indirect help of a daughter, she develops the whole process of plant cultivation, from the creation of seedlings, care to the plants, to the sale in fairs, in the colony of the Rajadinha Circuit or on the farm.

All the interviewees act in different parts of the productive chain of their respective businesses, as mentioned previously. The farms are operated by family members and so is rural tourism, where the family acts together. In this way, these women do jobs according to daily needs. For example, one of the interviewees points out that: "[...] somedays my sole responsibility is watering and tending the plants, but other days I have to go to the fairs to sell [...]."

Therefore, although there are gender inequalities in the workforce, the study suggests rural tourism is an activity that promotes gender equality and allows the participation of low-educated women.

When asked about their prospects, one of the interviewees points out that "rural tourism has meant an improvement in my quality of life, I intend to stay in the job market, I believe that rural tourism has a future and I intend to continue in this segment/job market".

As reported by Lunardi, Souza and Perurena (2015), rural tourism has led to a change process in the social and professional identity of the human being as women become part of the labor force and are recognized as "tourism entrepreneurs". This reinforces women’s identity as farmers, since rural tourism main characteristic is the direct relation with some rural activity. Thus, women consider that the rural tourism developed in the Rajadinha Circuit farms promotes female participation in the job market and requires dedication and commitment.

Rural tourism proved to be economically and socially efficient, since the women interviewed in this study seemed fulfilled. These are women who sought to enter the labor market to supplement the family income. However, rural tourism has made it possible for them to achieve more significant gains, such as knowledge and experience, as well as the recognition of their work, which make them positive about rural tourism prospects. All the interviewees underlined they want to remain in that segment and constantly seek to know more about it, toward higher levels in the labor market.

Aiming at comparing the literature survey and the data from field research collected in the Rajadinha Circuit, Table 1 presents a summary of the results of the study on gender and rural tourism.

Table 1
Comparison between the theory and research findings

Theory	Research findings in the Rajadinha Circuit
Changes in the profile of the labor market and social relations (Alves, Lima & Nagabe, 2016; Freitas & Reis, 2015).	Verified in the Rajadinha Circuit since the female labor force was present in all the farms investigated.
Increasing women's participation in the labor market explained by the rising cost of living and economic downturn (Kloster et al., 2015; Priore 1997 apud Ramos, Ulbanere & Jesus, 2014).	Supported by the survey carried out, especially by one report "I entered the job market because I needed to do something paid, before I did not have opportunity due to lack of education [...]"
Tourism has implicit social values (Lunardi, Souza & Perurena, 2015).	Supported by the survey carried out, because according to one interviewee: "[...] we face difficulties every day and also in our work, but I don’t lose heart because I’ve already won a lot getting this far and I can win more [...]". The results of the participation have taken different paths: improvement in the quality of life through the experience and the acquired knowledge.
Female labor is extra income, a supplement (Herrera, 2013; Schmitz & Santos, 2013).	This paradigm has shifted, because it is the women who are at the forefront of rural tourism and even of all rural related activities. It is noteworthy that in two farms the owners are women.
Sexual division of labor: Man = productive sphere and woman = reproductive sphere (Faria 2009 apud Nascimento, 2013).	All interviewees work in different parts of the production chain of their respective businesses: "[...] somedays my sole responsibility is watering and tending the plants, but other days I have to go to the fairs to sell [...]".
The woman is recognized as rural tourism entrepreneur (Lunardi, Souza & Perurena, 2015).	The women participation in the labor force is acknowledged since farm owners interviewed considered women as an essential element. According to one owner, "a lot of things have improved here in the property with the participation of women in the activities we do".

• Source: Primary data

In this way, we consider that the rural environment promotes multifunctionality through tourism and other non-agricultural activities. In addition to promoting economic benefits such as employment and income, rural tourism promotes social benefits for women, ranging from maintenance in the rural areas and improvement in quality of life, to intangible benefits such as increased self-esteem due to the recognition of their work, achievement of knowledge, and opening of new horizons.

9 CONCLUDING REMARKS

Among the changes sparked by modernization and globalization, the countryside becomes multifunctional with the development of non-agricultural activities. One of these activities is tourism. Through rural tourism local inhabitants seek new strategies to remain living in rural areas. In this way, tourism in rural areas refers to any form of tourism activity developed in rural areas. It is a type of tourism in the rural space, differentiating from other types since it refers to the set of activities in which agriculture and lives tock - traditional countryside activities - must be related to the tourism product offer.

In this regard, the present study examined the participation of women in rural tourism in the region of Planaltina, FD. To this end, we studied the Rajadinha Circuit, a project created in 2014, with the purpose of integrating tourism activities into the local productive arrangements of family farming. Thus, of the ten farms that make up the Circuit, it was possible to investigate eight and in them ten women working in the context of rural tourism were surveyed.

We verified that in the Rajadinha Circuit the rural tourism developed in the eight farms in the study has a social propensity, because through it the ten surveyed women entered the job market. The findings suggest these women have conquered a space in the labor market traditionally male-dominated.

The rural space was considered the "space of man", where he was the responsible for the production, dominating the workforce. However, a change in the profile of labor relations was observed in the Rajadinha Circuit, because the presence of the woman in all the activities developed in the properties studied was noticed.

Two of the studied farms are run entirely by women, who are responsible for all the activities in their properties. This shows a change in the paradigm since the activities developed in rural areas would be "male activities", and now these women within the Circuit are key actors in promoting tourism activities on the farms that are part of the Project.

The study findings suggest that women can take on any job in the labor market, provided they are given opportunities. In the region of Planaltina, FD, the Rajadinha Circuit is considered by the ten women investigated as the opportunity given to act in a context marked by several peculiarities. They are seen by the owners of the farms that make up the Circuit as important and even crucial elements in the development of rural tourism in the region

Thus, women have been gaining space in the labor market and their workforce begins to be valued, not only as a supplement but as a key element in the activities performed in the Circuit. This woman is multifunctional because she is capable of being a mother, wife, and professional.

The research indicates that in search of an improvement in the quality of life and income these women working in the Circuit sought to enter the segment, however, this participation brought other benefits such as recognition, self-esteem, and learning. Thus, these women deserve the merit of being recognized as key elements in the promotion and development of this segment in the region.

Finally, we need to mention some limitations, because the Rajadinha Circuit, being a relatively new project, is composed of few properties. In addition, it was not possible to survey two farms of the Circuit. However, the work was gratifying because it was possible to verify the reality of rural women, who, although afraid of not measuring up to the study's standards, they were willing to help and, in simplicity, provided a unique and extremely important experience for developing this article.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We acknowledge the help provided by the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Company of the Federal District (Emater-DF), which, through the Tourism expert Zaida Regina da Silva, provided us with all the necessary information for succeeding in developing this study.

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Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  Sep-Dec 2018

History

• Received
  23 Apr 2018
• Accepted
  23 July 2018