Resilience And Adaptation: Assessing The Impacts Of Covid-19 On Female Entrepreneurs In The Chinese Tourism Sector

Abstract

[eng] This study investigates the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on female entrepreneurs in China. Through semi-structured interviews with five participants, it uncovers a nuanced narrative of their experiences. Despite the progress of gender equality in Chinese society, gender bias remains in the broader workforce. However, the pandemic did not exacerbate these biases among the female entrepreneurs studied. The first year of the pandemic, 2020, was the most challenging, characterized by financial difficulties and government restrictions. Nevertheless, these entrepreneurs displayed remarkable adaptability and resilience in devising strategies to weather the crisis. As the "Zero-COVID" policy lifted in 2023, the postpandemic landscape presented unexpected challenges. Changes in consumer behavior hinted at China's pre-existing economic slowdown. Government support played a crucial role during the pandemic but was limited primarily to financial aid. The absence of mental health resources and the study's limited exploration of gender-focused support indicate areas for future government efforts. This study acknowledges its limitations, including a small sample size, and calls for further research to expand demographic representation and employ economic models for data analysis.