The holiday tour that empowers Greek women in the Peloponnese

Undoubtedly, the COVID-19 pandemic has smashed the global tourism industry, and of course women are not exempt.

In fact, according to iNews, women have been disproportionately affected by the pandemic.

The good news? There is a growing number of tours that help empower them around the globe that are key to the sector’s recovery, including in Greece.

Inspired by “the Greek mother”, Mamas Flavours culinary tours work with local women producers and entrepreneurs in the south-western Peloponnese.

Visitors are introduced to co-operatives and artisans through activities such as fruit harvesting, wine tasting and farm tours.

There’s a food and olive oil tasting tour in Kalamata, a wine and food tour of northern Kynouria and a cookery class in Arcadia.

The cookery class in Arcadia is based at a stone house with a library of more than 650 cookery books and visits a cookware museum and restaurant. Guests pick vegetables which Rita then showcases in recipes that include marmalade, pasteli sesame seed bars and trahana fermented milk pasta.

Day trip €95pp, mamasflavours.gr

However, if you're looking for a place outside of Greece, why not consider Tanzania, Belize or Jordan.

All-women run safari camp in Tanzania

Dunia Camp in the Serengeti is unique – it is staffed by and run exclusively by women.

The safari industry and Tanzanian society are traditionally male dominated, but here everyone from rangers and guides to the general manager are female.

Guests of the eight tents – one of which is family-friendly – are greeted with songs, before settling in to enjoy the views of the plain.

Experience Mayan culture in Belize

NGO Planeterra supports communities to “use tourism as a catalyst to improve people’s lives” and has helped generate more than $10m with 85 projects.

Its Global Community Tourism Network launched last year to enable those enterprises to share good practices and offer support to other communities.

These projects have been integrated into partner G Adventures’ programme, including one in San Ignacio, close to the Belize-Guatemala Border.

Here, a women’s co-op of nine Mayan women share their knowledge with visitors and younger generations, sponsoring education and supporting artisans.

A new workshop space allows for community training, as well as lessons for visitors, including traditional pottery.

Nine-day Belize Upgraded tour from £1,079pp excluding flights, gadventures.com

Support handicrafts in Jordan

In a village west of Amman, the Iraq Al Amir women’s co-operative supports the production of hand-made paper – made with limited water and with palm leaves, henna, saffron, paprika and more – as well as fabric, ceramics and food to support women to become financially independent and raise their standard of living.

Having provided training for more than 150 women, the co-operative has also organised festivals of seasonal local products (figs and pomegranates among them) and provided access to computers and the internet.

Visitors can also learn to cook musakhan chicken with onions and sumac and magloubet Zahra upside down rice and chicken with cauliflower as part of a wider itinerary. myjordanjourney.com

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