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Article

We Can and Must Empower Women to Thrive Through Destination Crisis: A Study of Women’s Entrepreneurial Resilience in the Tourism Sector

by
Anusara Sawangchai
1,
Rimsha Khalid
2,*,
Larisa Ivascu
3,*,
Mohsin Raza
2 and
Alin Artene
3
1
Business Administration in Entrepreneurship Program, Faculty of Management Sciences, Phuket Rajabhat University, Phuket 83000, Thailand
2
Faculty of Hospitality and Tourism, Prince of Songkla University, Phuket Campus, Phuket 83120, Thailand
3
Faculty of Management in Production and Transportation, Politehnica University of Timisoara, 300006 Timisoara, Romania
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Sustainability 2025, 17(6), 2389; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062389
Submission received: 5 February 2025 / Revised: 24 February 2025 / Accepted: 7 March 2025 / Published: 9 March 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Environmental Performance and Efficiency Evaluation of Enterprises)
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Versions Notes

Abstract

This study examines the impacts of women’s social, political, and psychological empowerment on their participation in civil societies and further its impacts on their entrepreneurial resilience. This study employed the quantitative approach, and data were collected through surveys, which were later analyzed with Smart PLS 4. This study’s findings revealed mixed results. The impacts of psychological and social empowerment on women’s participation in civil societies and their entrepreneurial resilience were significant. The impacts of political empowerment on women’s participation in civil societies and their entrepreneurial resilience were insignificant. The occurrence of disasters is common in tourist destinations, and several studies have investigated it. However, the study on the ripple impacts of disasters on women has not been thoroughly investigated, specifically in the Asian context.

1. Introduction

Tourism has been hailed as the salvation of many communities worldwide due to its potential to produce additional cash, support the economy, and create jobs [1]. However, many coastal areas and town destinations have been exposed to negative natural and social impacts, as well as catastrophes like floods, tsunamis, storms, droughts, landslides, forest fires, and diseases. Crises like droughts and floods are the most serious threats to a tourism-based country [2]. Heavy rains during the rainy season have recently caused significant flooding in Thailand, and the floods are wreaking chaos on critical tourist destinations [3]. The flooding severely damages the roads and highways connecting tourist areas, international airports, hotels, and tourist attractions. This disrupts the routine operations of tourism businesses and hinders their ability to cater to customers. The destination management authorities have expressed their thoughts that destination crises impact the tourists, but they impact the entrepreneurs harder. Study [4] mentions that women are increasingly involved in the tourism business, and there are multiple challenges they have to face. It is important to empower them as, in chaotic situations, they can sustain their businesses. Study [5] stresses the need to empower women entrepreneurs in Thailand to deal with crises and pandemics.
Women entrepreneurs in Thailand’s tourism sectors significantly contribute to the economy [6]. Women entrepreneurs encounter difficulties rebuilding their enterprises and restoring services, which have long-term consequences for their operations [7]. Furthermore, women entrepreneurs have difficulty obtaining financial resources to rehabilitate and enhance their business sustainability. Limited access to credit, insurance, and capital worsens their problems, making it more difficult for entrepreneurs to recover from the disaster’s economic consequences [8]. Individuals’ safety and wellbeing, especially those of women, are jeopardized by natural catastrophes. They are subjected to physical damage, relocation, or trauma, which can have long-term consequences in their personal and professional life. Personal safety becomes a concern, causing some women entrepreneurs to temporarily halt or terminate their business operations [9].
Natural catastrophes potentially disrupt supply chains, reducing the availability of products and services required by entrepreneurs. This results in shortages, increased expenses, and operational challenges. Furthermore, lower tourism demand in disaster-affected areas severely influences women entrepreneurs who rely mainly on tourists for their business [10]. Natural catastrophes amplify existing gender biases and inequality in the tourist industry. Women entrepreneurs suffer prejudice, restricting their access to resources and recovery possibilities. To mitigate these threats, women’s empowerment is critical in building a trend toward equality [11].
In this specific circumstance, women’s empowerment for disaster resilience is required for planning and practical implementation in the tourism industry. Its outcomes include gender responsiveness standardization, anticipating women in disaster and emergency situations, ensuring women’s privileges, and improving their leadership abilities.
A prior study points out that psychological empowerment can considerably enhance entrepreneurial success. This dimension of empowerment, concentrating on self-awareness, knowledge acquisition, and financial freedom, positively affects business sustainability among women entrepreneurs in various sectors [12]. However, research, particularly on connecting psychological empowerment with entrepreneurial resilience within disaster perspective in the tourism industry, remains unexplored. Further, the impact of social and political empowerment on entrepreneurial outcomes is also prominent. For example, women’s participation in social entrepreneurship positively influences their economic and psychological empowerment [13], and political empowerment is associated with increased entrepreneurial activities [14]. Despite these results, there is inadequate evidence studying how these forms of empowerment directly influence entrepreneurial resilience in tourism-specific contexts. Furthermore, prior research has revealed that women’s participation in social enterprises builds their empowerment and capability to be involved in local economic growth [15]. However, studies that clearly concentrate on how women’s civil society involvement mediates the relationship between women empowerment and resilience in tourism entrepreneurship are limited, especially in Southeast Asia, such as Thailand. The gap lies in the incorporation of multi-dimensional women empowerment, women’s participation in civil society, and entrepreneurial resilience in the tourism sector of Thailand. This gap establishes possibilities for further research to discover how these variables interrelate and influence the success and sustainability of women entrepreneurs in the tourism industry.
Therefore, this study adopts a diverse dimension of women’s empowerment and examines the impact of these dimensions on disaster resilience. Further, women’s empowerment increases their involvement in tourism civil society, which helps and supports women entrepreneurs who are affected by natural disasters. Given its significance, this study aligns with the critical need to increase resilience to disasters, emergencies, and external shocks, reinforce supervision and social attachment, and improve gender and social equity. Therefore, this study investigates women’s empowerment, their assistance in disaster resilience, and how women’s empowerment helps foster women’s participation in Thailand’s civil society and disaster resilience.
This study highlights women’s empowerment in designing and implementing disaster resilience capacities in the tourism sector, with outcomes such as establishing some gender-responsive planning in crises and disasters for women’s rights protection and developing women’s leadership aptitudes. It aids in aligning civil societies on the strategic necessity of assisting female leaders in enhancing their flexibility during crises and catastrophes. Additionally, educational institutions would benefit from this study employing several teaching and learning practices that would empower women. This research also helps women leaders improve the social learning abilities necessary for disaster resilience.

2. Literature Review

2.1. Theoretical Underpinnings

The social constructionism theory holds that the ways individuals understand and categorize several aspects of human identity and experience are not predetermined by nature but rather socially constructed through language, culture, history, and shared belief [16]. Social constructionism and its adaptation have two major fundamentals. The first theme declares that society needs transformation, and the second theme provides learning a leading role in changing society. Therefore, social buildings and society empowerment are highly concerned about future predictivity and address uncertainties [17]. Human actions are attempted from an ethical angle, as each individual action performed has an outcome for its future consequences [18]. The operation of civil society is to construct a fairer human society, which shapes individual behavior in society. Further, ref. [19] highlights the key contribution of social constructionism to increase the betterment of society through individual and community participation. According to the study by [20], the content of social constructionism is derived from an assessment of the society that an individual intends to serve. This study is supported by social constructionism theory, which explains gender role and their constructive and collective identity. Social construction theory offers a comprehensive framework for considering the vibrant relationship between women’s empowerment (psychological, social, and political), civil society participation, and entrepreneurial resilience. Formed by the social construction of gender roles and norms, psychological empowerment is shaped by women entrepreneurs’ determination to reconstruct their self-identity within the business perspective. As they contribute to civil society, they receive endorsement and responses that improve their confidence and psychological strength, contributing to entrepreneurial resilience. Further, the social practices, empowerment, and shared beliefs support each other. As they challenge traditional responsibilities and cooperate with other women in entrepreneurial systems, they redefine what is possible for women in business to make a society resilient and immune to crisis. When it comes to entrepreneurship, specifically tourism entrepreneurship, empowering the rising segments of women becomes necessary to cultivate their social support. Moreover, political empowerment further interrupts gendered constructions of power. When women are politically involved in local governance or activism, they face patriarchal systems, forming a more helpful environment for entrepreneurial success. Their contribution to the political sphere fortifies their sense of assistance and constructs resilience to external pressures.
Along with it, civil society offers a space for these women to construct new standards and positions for themselves, which develops their power to bounce back from obstructions and push entrepreneurial growth. Eventually, entrepreneurial resilience is a collectively formed outcome of women’s empowerment. Women’s engagement in entrepreneurial ventures within Thailand rebuilds their individuality as entrepreneurs, overwhelming societal problems to accomplish long-term success and contribute to their societies’ development.

2.2. Role of Women in Entrepreneurship and Resilience

Women are progressively perceived as key participants in the entrepreneurial landscape. Traditionally, men have conquered entrepreneurship, but in recent decades, more women have moved into the business world, contributing to various sectors, including technology, education, retail, and tourism. Women’s entrepreneurial actions are significant in developing economies and are essential to community development and economic progress [21]. Further, women entrepreneurs participate extensively in innovation by familiarizing themselves with new ideas, products, and services, which, in turn, generate jobs and economic opportunities. They often pay attention to solving social problems, which leads to more comprehensive economic development [22]. Moreover, women’s entrepreneurship is directly connected to women’s empowerment. Successively running businesses enable women to become financially self-sufficient, make decisions, and challenge traditional gender roles [23]. Despite these confronts, many women prove resilience, a key element that allows them to direct and overcome these barriers [24]. As they succeed in entrepreneurship, women motivate others in their communities and establish a ripple effect, encouraging gender equality and social change [25].

2.3. Women’s Empowerment and Participation in Civil Society

Women entrepreneurs are important in the entrepreneurial age, and tourism is no exception. According to ref. [26], it is necessary to recognize a diversified paradigm of women’s empowerment that includes psychological, political, and social factors to understand women’s empowerment, facilitate civil societies, and ensure their entrepreneurial resilience [27]. Women’s empowerment is important in shaping their social position, making them resilient, and broadening their social participation and support to other women in disaster-hit destinations [28]. According to women empowerment-based studies, women’s economic participation in the industry is based on their psychological, political, and social empowerment [29]. The study by [30] highlights that women’s empowerment provides them with the confidence to participate in civil societies and makes them super resilient to face difficult situations. Moreover, ref. [31] asserts further that empowering women makes the tourism sector super resilient and, eventually, makes a country immune to crisis. Based on this, this study hypothesizes the following:
H1a. 
Psychological empowerment significantly impacts participation in civil society;
H2a. 
Social empowerment significantly impacts participation in civil society;
H3a. 
Political empowerment significantly impacts participation in civil society.

2.4. Women’s Participation in Civil Society

The cornerstone of women’s action for the country’s evolution means that action for egalitarianism, growth, and communalism brings every woman to a level that would be considered resilient [32]. Civil societies usually do not fully involve the government and maintain contact with communities and societies to achieve their objectives [33]. Civil society is a monitoring entity that holds the government and institutions responsible, such as when certain civil society officials monitor environmental crises and send information to local communities and international organizations in other countries [34]. Furthermore, politically empowered women activists and spokespeople increase awareness of concerns by giving the voiceless a voice and advocating change, such as in the tourism sector, once entrepreneurs call for help [35]. As per ref. [36], civil society is a well-known contribution to creating global governance norms. According to ref. [37], civil societies are community-based institutions that are smaller but more locally oriented organizations that are open to people and the institutions’ governing bodies. Civil societies provide vast benefits and support to establish the normal state of destination as it had before the crises. Furthermore, ref. [38] stated that civil societies could develop a strategy to challenge the chaotic situation and shape their environments by fostering community connections. Women’s empowerment, which includes social, psychological, and political empowerment, is clearly visible in its contribution to their role and duties in civil society, which helps them to deal with disaster by making them resilient. Therefore, this study has proposed the following:
H1b. 
Psychological empowerment and entrepreneurial resilience mediated by women’s participation in civil society;
H2b. 
Social empowerment and entrepreneurial resilience mediated by women’s participation in civil society;
H3b. 
Political empowerment and entrepreneurial resilience mediated by women’s participation in civil society.

2.5. Women’s Participation in Civil Society and Entrepreneurial Resilience

Women’s perceptions appear to concern a growing leadership position at several levels in numerous fields [39]. However, history demonstrated that women were maturing and playing a significant role in the survival of political parties and social movements. They propose a social transformation that connects thoughts and actions with emotions and sentiments to rebuild a new and better social association for a better society [40]. As a result, females’ participation in rebuilding a disaster-hit destination is rooted in several aspects of their culture, increasing the economic benefits to include social, psychological, and political dimensions [41,42,43,44]. More empirical studies are required to determine the role of women in dealing with disasters, enhancing their entrepreneurial resilience, and participating in civil societies to support other women entrepreneurs, which is a timely call. Therefore, this study investigates their level of participation in civil societies and making tourism-based entrepreneurship residents. Therefore, this study proposed the following hypothesis.
H4. 
Women’s participation in civil society significantly impacts entrepreneurial resilience.
Further, Figure 1 shows the graphical picture of conceptual framework that contains the relationship between psychological empowerment, political empowerment, and social empowerment, to participation in civil society and entrepreneurial resilience as following:

3. Materials and Methods

This study employed the quantitative approach, collected the data through surveys, and focused on women entrepreneurs in Thailand’s tourism and hospitality sector. Thailand is considered one of the world’s top ten tourism destinations, and many women entrepreneurs are involved in the tourism and hospitality sector. The survey focused on women facing complications in their entrepreneurial actions during natural disasters. Data were collected from May to September 2024. Through purposive sampling, the responses were obtained from multiple cities in Thailand, specifically Phuket, Phang Nga, and Krabi, because of their geographical location and tourists’ footsteps. This study used twelve items to measure women’s empowerment, including social, psychological, and political empowerment adopted by [45]. Further, five items were used to measure participation in civil society, adopted from [46]. The ten-item scale of entrepreneurial resilience was borrowed from the study by [47], and the 7-point Likert scale measured all constructs. The questionnaire of this study is shown in Table 1.
Further demographics of this study revealed that 76 respondents did not have formal education. A total of 107 respondents had a middle school education, and 127 had a senior high school education. Further, 67 had polytechnic education, 52 were undergraduate, and 29 respondents were postgraduate. From the age perspective, 118 respondents were under 26 years of age; 83 were between 26 and 35 years old; 78 respondents were between 36 and 44, and 63 respondents were between 45 and 53. Further, 62 respondents were between 54 and 62 years old, and 54 were above the age of 63. Mentioning the monthly income, 109 revealed that they earned below THB 20,000 monthly. A total of 104 had an income between THB 20,000 and THB 30,000; 69 revealed that they earned THB 40,000, and 83 respondents recorded their monthly income between THB 40,000 and THB 50,000. Only 93 mentioned monthly earnings of more than THB 50,000. When asked about building ownership status, 203 mentioned it as their own, and 255 mentioned it as a rented place.

3.1. Data Analysis Procedure

Before collecting data, this study performed a pretest and pilot test. For pretesting of the questionnaire, it was shared with three academicians, and minor changes were mentioned. The academicians highlighted repeating certain words, replacing specific terms with simple, understandable terms, and rewriting double-meaning sentences. They noted that the specific terms might be understandable by researchers but not by the public. After that, this study performed pilot testing and ensured the optimum value between 0.7 and 0.9 of Cronbach’s alpha [48]. After that, 500 questionnaires were dispersed, and 458 responses were used for further analysis through Smart PLS 4.

3.2. Assessment of Outer Model

This study has assessed its outer model through the PLS algorithm feature of Smart PLS, and following [49], this study warranted the common method bias issue of the data. The variance inflation factor values were below 3.3, following the [50]’s criteria. The model’s heterotrait–monotrait ratio (HTMT) was below 0.9, which satisfied the criteria [51]. The HTMT table of study is provided in Table 2.
Furthermore, the average variance of this model was above 0.5; loadings were above 0.6, satisfying the threshold limits [52]. It is important to mention the deletion of items due to lower loadings. This study has deleted one item from the construct of political environment because of its loading, which was 0.385, and reported AVE 0.584. After deletion, the AVE of the construct improved to 0.730. Further, one item was deleted from the construct of entrepreneurial resilience, the loading of which was 0.592 and reported as AVE 0.510. After the deletion of the item, AVE improved to 0.530. Before deletion, SRMR was 0.087, and after deletion, it improved to 0.084. However, [53] leaves the deletion of items on research context and choice of researchers involved in this study. However, deleting an item improves the model loadings, and removing it from the model is better. The loadings, average variance, composite reliability, and Cronbach’s alpha of this study are provided in Table 3.

3.3. Model Fit and Assessment of Inner Model

After assessing the inner model, the next step is to ensure that the model fits the inner model. The value of SRMR is 0.08, satisfying the threshold set by [54]. The value of predictive relevance Q2 of the model is 0.420, highlighting the model’s strength. As per the study by [49], the higher the value of Q2 is above zero, the stronger it indicates predictive relevance. Further, the effect size of this model is 0.931, and the value of the coefficient of determination is 0.482. As per [55], the value obtained for the normed fit index (NFI) closer to 1 ensures a better NFI fit; for this study, it is 0.78. The study by [56] revealed an interesting phenomenon, as this study checked NFI through CB-SEM and PLS-SEM. This study obtained a value of 0.93 for NFI through CB-SEM, and the value obtained through PLS-SEM was 0.89. It revealed that the PLS-SEM revealed a low value, and this current study also used PLS-SEM, which could be one of the reasons for low NFI values. Furthermore, the graphical representation of the model assessment is shown in Figure 2.

4. Results and Discussion

The results of this study revealed the mixed findings. Before discussing the findings, it is important to highlight the demographics of this study. From a gender perspective, only women were considered, and other genders were not involved in this study. As per education level, the maximum number of women were undergraduates. In marital status, many women mentioned being separated or single. Although data from this study were obtained from small and medium-sized businesses, most respondents belonged to small-scale businesses. The findings of this study revealed the impacts of women’s empowerment on their participation in civil society.
This study’s first hypothesis mentions the impact of the psychological empowerment of women on their participation in civil society and further impacting entrepreneurial resilience. Analysis of this model revealed the significant results of H1a and H1b. The results of this hypothesis are aligned with this study by [57]. The next hypothesis of this study is to ensure the impacts of political empowerment on women’s participation in civil society and their entrepreneurial resilience. This study has found insignificant results, and the possible reason for this can be rooted in the contextual aspect or culture [58]. Findings on women’s empowerment in Thailand often highlight economic and social empowerment more than political empowerment. Women in rural areas or the tourism industry may be more engrossed in economic freedom and social empowerment through entrepreneurship rather than political involvement. These entrepreneurs may sense that direct business sustainability, rather than political involvement, is critical for their entrepreneurial resilience [59]. From the perspective of the tourism industry, practical resources, such as training, social support setups, and entrance to markets, may have a more critical impact than political contribution.
The third hypothesized relation of this study is investigating the impacts of the social empowerment of women on their participation in civil society and their entrepreneurial resilience. The results of this hypothesis are significant and are aligned with [60,61]. The fourth hypothesis of this study is investigating women’s participation in civil society and its impacts on their entrepreneurial resilience, which are aligned with the study by [62,63]. The results of the hypotheses of this study are illustrated in Table 4.

5. Conclusions

5.1. Practical and Theoretical Implications

Despite the gendered effect of crises on their entrepreneurial activities, women entrepreneurs establish notable resilience, empowering them to support and even foster their ventures despite hardship. Therefore, this explanatory study, occupying a quantitative methodology, investigates the unique approaches that women entrepreneurs practice to enhance resilience and navigate severe experiences and encounters during crises. The outcomes of this study provide valued insights into the gendered and contextual dynamics of the resilience-building procedure. Sustainably operating the businesses empowers women to become financially self-contained, make choices, and confront traditional gender roles. Despite these confronts, many women show evidence of resilience, a key part that lets them direct and overcome these obstructions. As they thrive in entrepreneurial ventures, women encourage others in their communities and make a ripple effect, boosting gender parity and social change. Moreover, this study highlights the coping approaches women entrepreneurs use and discovers how these approaches add value to entrepreneurial and business resilience. The evolving model from this study works as an underpinning for developing theories on women entrepreneurs’ resilience in crisis. Furthermore, this model also delivers a deeper understanding of how women entrepreneurs confront multiple crises and how they navigate them and survive during hard times. From a practical context, this study offers valuable implications for policymakers, women entrepreneurs, and businesses.
Firstly, destinations integrating gender-responsive planning into disaster resilience frameworks recognize men’s and women’s different vulnerabilities and needs. Policies that support women’s access to resources, land tenure, and decision-making processes are crucial in ensuring entrepreneurial resilience. Tourism destinations can create gendered disaster risk reduction plans acknowledging women’s roles in community-based disaster management. Secondly, gender concerns must be considered while designing urban infrastructure. For instance, women, children, the elderly, and those with disabilities involved in businesses should all be able to access public areas and shelters safely and easily. Destinations may support gender-sensitive infrastructure that considers women’s access to emergency services, mobility, and safety during catastrophes.
Third, one important tactic is introducing training programs for women in climate change adaptation and disaster resilience. Topics like emergency preparedness, disaster risk reduction, and the use of technology for gathering climate data could all be included in these seminars. Tourism destinations can collaborate with civil society organizations to offer these programs and develop local competence. It can launch awareness campaigns emphasizing the value of women’s contributions to resilience-building. The significance of gender parity in disaster management can be brought to the attention of both men and women through these efforts. Fourth, local governments can set up systems to include women in decision-making, like forming climate committees with a women’s focus or women’s advisory councils. Planning for urban resilience can incorporate gender-sensitive strategies using these frameworks.
Fifth, tourism destinations might encourage collaborations between regional women’s organizations and international organizations to enhance women’s participation in disaster resilience. Women’s voices can be amplified in policy conversations via these alliances, giving them a forum to share their ideas, solutions, and experiences. Sixth, numerous initiatives headed by women have successfully increased community resilience to disasters. Local governments may help these movements by offering forums for visibility, training, and resources.

5.2. Limitations and Future Directions

This study has explained an important and comparatively overlooked segment. However, this study is not free of limitations and invites future scholars to work on it. This study’s first and foremost limitation is its gender restriction, which is specific to women. Future studies may involve unspecified genders. There was a limited number of participants above fifty years of age in the age group. However, involving older entrepreneurs can be an interesting topic. The contextual limitations of this study can be removed by incorporating several cultures and backgrounds. The questionnaire survey limited the opportunity for participants to explain the topic further, and a qualitative study could explain it further. This study has noted that the entrepreneurial aspects and investigating the destination managing authorities can provide deeper insights.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, A.S. and R.K.; methodology, M.R. and A.S.; software, L.I. and A.A.; validation, R.K. and M.R.; formal analysis, M.R.; investigation, R.K.; resources, R.K.; data curation, A.S.; writing—original draft preparation, A.S., R.K. and M.R.; review and editing, L.I. and A.A.; visualization, L.I.; supervision, L.I.; project administration, A.S., L.I. and A.A.; funding acquisition, L.I. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research received no external funding.

Institutional Review Board Statement

This study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki and approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Research Center for Engineering and Management (no. 05/10.09.2024 for studies involving humans).

Informed Consent Statement

Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study. They were informed that all data would be used for this research entitled “We can and must empower women to thrive through destination crisis: A study of women’s entrepreneurial resilience in the tourism sector”.

Data Availability Statement

The data are available upon reasonable request from the corresponding authors.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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Sustainability 17 02389 g001
Figure 1. Conceptual Framework (Source: Author Own Creation).
Figure 1. Conceptual Framework (Source: Author Own Creation).
Sustainability 17 02389 g001
Sustainability 17 02389 g002
Figure 2. Measurement model of this study (Source: Author’s Own).
Figure 2. Measurement model of this study (Source: Author’s Own).
Sustainability 17 02389 g002
Table 1. Questionnaire of Study.
Table 1. Questionnaire of Study.
Questionnaire of Study
Women empowerment [45]
Psychological empowerment
Being an entrepreneur, I am proud to be a Thai resident.
Tourism in Thailand makes my business special, as people travel here from everywhere in the world.
I am eager to tell tourists about Thailand’s unique offerings.
Serving others made me feel that I was part of a unique culture.
I feel that it is special to serve others in crisis situations.
Social empowerment
I am well connected with my business community in Thailand.
I have a sense of ‘community spirit’ within me.
The entrepreneurial industry of Thailand paves the way for me to become a part of the community.
Political empowerment
I know that my voice makes a positive difference in entrepreneurial development decisions.
I feel that my vote can bring positive change
I am involved in the decision-making process of my community.
I express my concerns in community meetings.
Participation in civil society [46]
I feel good to be involved in community welfare activities.
I like to be part of community social clubs.
It becomes complicated to choose the right community organization to participate voluntarily.
I encourage fellow businesswomen to participate in community business activities.
I encourage everyone to join environmental protection initiatives.
Entrepreneurial Resilience [47]
I can achieve my goals despite obstacles.
I do not feel disheartened by failure.
I think of myself as a strong person.
I can work under extreme pressure.
I believe in bouncing back from hardship.
I am strong enough to deal with whatever comes my way.
I can change my business plans as per marketplace demand.
A difficult situation cannot stress me out easily.
I always try to see the good side of the picture.
I am good at handling unpleasant feelings.
Table 2. HTMT.
Table 2. HTMT.
Entrepreneurial ResilienceParticipation in Civil SocietyPolitical EmpowermentPsychological EmpowermentSocial Empowerment
Entrepreneurial resilience
Participation in civil society0.736
Political empowerment0.480.439
Psychological empowerment0.6930.8510.511
Social empowerment0.5450.6840.4330.741
Table 3. Assessment of Outer Model.
Table 3. Assessment of Outer Model.
ItemsLoadingsCronbach’s AlphaComposite ReliabilityAverage Variance Extracted
Psychological empowerment 0.8960.9240.708
PSY 10.839
PSY 20.745
PSY 30.89
PSY 40.867
PSY 50.86
Political empowerment 0.8180.890.73
PE 10.801
PE 20.892
PE 30.867
Social empowerment 0.6490.7880.555
SE 10.69
SE 20.729
SE 30.811
Participation in civil society 0.9060.930.727
PSC 10.861
PSC 20.869
PSC 30.874
PSC 40.837
PSC 50.82
Entrepreneurial resilience 0.890.9090.53
ER 10.82
ER 20.653
ER 30.625
ER 40.72
ER 60.815
ER 70.665
ER 80.666
ER 90.728
ER 100.822
Table 4. Hypotheses of Study.
Table 4. Hypotheses of Study.
Hypotheses TestingOriginal SampleSample MeanStd. DevT Statisticsp Values
Psychological empowerment → Participation in civil society0.6450.6450.04414.7010
Psychological empowerment → Participation in civil society → Entrepreneurial Resilience0.4480.4490.03811.6580
Political empowerment → Participation in civil society0.0520.0540.0381.3910.164
Political empowerment → Participation in civil society → Entrepreneurial Resilience0.0360.0380.0261.3920.164
Social empowerment → Participation in civil society0.1510.1510.0433.5140
Social empowerment → Participation in civil society → Entrepreneurial Resilience0.1050.1050.033.4910
Participation in civil society → Entrepreneurial resilience0.6940.6970.02626.920
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Sawangchai, A.; Khalid, R.; Ivascu, L.; Raza, M.; Artene, A. We Can and Must Empower Women to Thrive Through Destination Crisis: A Study of Women’s Entrepreneurial Resilience in the Tourism Sector. Sustainability 2025, 17, 2389. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062389

AMA Style

Sawangchai A, Khalid R, Ivascu L, Raza M, Artene A. We Can and Must Empower Women to Thrive Through Destination Crisis: A Study of Women’s Entrepreneurial Resilience in the Tourism Sector. Sustainability. 2025; 17(6):2389. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062389

Chicago/Turabian Style

Sawangchai, Anusara, Rimsha Khalid, Larisa Ivascu, Mohsin Raza, and Alin Artene. 2025. "We Can and Must Empower Women to Thrive Through Destination Crisis: A Study of Women’s Entrepreneurial Resilience in the Tourism Sector" Sustainability 17, no. 6: 2389. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062389

APA Style

Sawangchai, A., Khalid, R., Ivascu, L., Raza, M., & Artene, A. (2025). We Can and Must Empower Women to Thrive Through Destination Crisis: A Study of Women’s Entrepreneurial Resilience in the Tourism Sector. Sustainability, 17(6), 2389. https://doi.org/10.3390/su17062389

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