The mediation role of female empowerment in linking of KSA Vision 2030 for glass ceiling cracking to female job involvement opportunities in tourism and hotels

Purpose The purpose of this study is to investigate how female empowerment mediates the relationship between Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiatives aimed at cracking the glass ceiling and the enhancement of female job involvement opportunities (FIO) in the tourism and hospitality sectors. By investigating this mediation role, the research aims to get a better understanding of the processes by which national reforms and empowerment efforts lead to increased FIO in tourism and hotels. Design/methodology/approach The study adopted a descriptive method using a self-administered questionnaire (Appendix) instrument for a convenience sample limited to 218 female respondents. The respondents were selected from female employees working in hotels and tourism companies in Saudi Arabia. The analysis of the collected data utilized structural equation modeling and a maximum likelihood estimate considering AMOS to investigate the direct and indirect relationship between the constructs and the proposed model. Findings The results indicated that Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 for glass ceiling cracking (V2030) highly and positively influenced FIO via empowerment of females, which mediated the link of Saudi Arabia V2030 to job involvement opportunities in the tourism companies and hotels sector. Research limitations/implications The biggest challenge for the researchers was reaching working women in hotel and tourism companies to complete the questionnaire and, therefore, only a small number of Saudi women working in the tourism and hotel sector were able to participate. Moreover, obtaining the approval of hotel managers in Saudi Arabia to distribute and endorse the questionnaire posed some difficulties. The study used a questionnaire directed to the small number of working females in certain tourism companies and hotel sectors, which limited the generalization of the results to all over the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Also, it didn’t consider the deep interviews with managers and officials of the tourism authority in KSA. Besides, it didn’t cover women poisoning the leadership and higher jobs in tourism and hospitality. Practical implications The study has important practical implications for concerned officials and their possibilities in helping Saudi women shatter the glass ceiling and change women’s roles in the tourism and hospitality industry via more empowerment and job involvement in available opportunities. Accordingly, the results may pave the way to benefit programs such as positive discrimination as an affirmative action program when adopting the policy of cracking the glass ceiling. Originality/value This study uniquely addressed the Saudi Arabia V2030 on FIO through empowering females in the tourism and hotel sector, which opens the doors to researchers, practitioners and concerned officials for the significance of such issues to give due attention in a continuing assessment, amendments and development.