Unveiling women’s leadership traits in Southeast Asia’s hospitality and tourism sector: Perceptions of undergraduate female students

This qualitative study aims to explore critical traits contributing to women’s leadership roles in the hospitality and tourism industries in Southeast Asia from the perspectives of female undergraduate students. Using thematic analysis on interview data and the Voyant Tool for corpus analysis, five key themes emerged: communication skills, strategic thinking, adaptability, resilience, and emotional intelligence. Although consistent across Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, country-specific emphases were noted. These findings provide insights into inclusive leadership and strategies for gender equality, encouraging Asian business managers to embrace a gender-neutral leadership style.