The gender wage gap in the tourism industry: Evidence from Australia

This article presents an examination of the gender wage gap among tourism and hospitality employeesin Australia. Data from the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA)Survey-covering the period 2001 to 2014-are used to estimate earnings functions for prime age(25-54) male and female workers. Conventional human capital functions are estimated using a randomeffectsregression model. The principal findings suggest that, after controlling for an extensive rangeof sociodemographic characteristics, female tourism and hospitality employees, on average, earned8.5% and 7.5%, respectively, less than their male counterparts. Although human capital variables likeeducation and work experience play a role in the determination of wages, an employee's gender stillcontinues to be a significant factor in the wage received.