The Effect of Enduring Involvement in Adventure Tourism on Women’s Empowerment

The present study aimed to determine the effect of enduring involvement in adventure tourism on women’s empowerment. The methodology of the present research has been applied in terms of purpose, and from the perspective of the method, descriptive-Correlation was specifically based on structural equation modeling using Smart PLS 3 software. The research population consisted of all Iranian women involved in adventure tourism, out of whom 223 were selected by convenience sampling. Data were collected using Beckman’s (2013) Enduring Involvement in an Adventure Tourism Questionnaire and researcher-made questionnaire was used to measure the women’s empowerment. The validity of the questionnaires was assessed by the opinions of Sociology and Sport Management professors, and their reliability was confirmed by Cronbach’s alpha and composite reliability. The results indicated that Iranian women can be empowered in social, economic, physical, and political aspects by being involved in adventure. Furthermore, as adventure tourism involves outdoor physical activity, this type of empowerment gives Iranian women the opportunity to make important decisions which favorably influence their personal life. It is suggested that organizations in charge of women affairs give women the opportunity to participate in physical activities, especially adventure sports, as a new empowerment strategy.