Tourism Entrepreneurship Knowledge and Challenges for a Sustainable Future

This book explores how entrepreneurship can be a driving force for the tourism industry and a solution to various sustainability issues that the sector is experiencing, such as employment and inclusion issues and the social and environmental impact of tourism. Based on the premise that the energising force of entrepreneurship in the tourism industry positively affects the supply of tourism and hospitality services as well as job creation, economic stimulus, and the development of destinations, the book explores how entrepreneurship can provide opportunities for the development of tourism and society.

More specifically, the book contributes to different SDG goals (8 Decent Work and Economic Growth,  9 Industry, innovation and infrastructure, 1 No poverty, and 10 Reduced Inequalities) by highlighting the efforts made by entrepreneurs to create jobs and contribute to economic growth. Covering the processes and factors that facilitate or hamper the successful establishment and growth of tourism firms, as well as providing insight into the various processes of innovation, the book gives examples of how entrepreneurship plays a part in sustaining resilient and robust economies.

Ultimately, this volume makes the case that entrepreneurs are at the forefront of shaping as well as dealing with impact of tourism. Chapters offers questions and ideas for how to move towards a more sustainable future.

1. Tourism Entrepreneurship Knowledge and Challenges for a Sustainable Future.- 2. Knowledge Based Factors and Growth of New Hospitality Firms A Study of Iberian, Nordic and Baltic Entrepreneurs.- 3. Immigrant Entrepreneurs and their new firms in the Tourism Sector Analysis of the Knowledge Construction from Experience.- 4. Immigrant Entrepreneurs in the Tourism Industry Exploring their Contribution to Co Ethnic Communities.- 5. Service Quality, Reputation and Performance Prioritisation for sustainable growth and innovation.- 6. Airbnb hosts and their contribution to sustainability through entrepreneurship and consumption Research gaps and an exploratory study in Nordic tourist destinations.- 7. Relational work in rural tourism enterprising navigating in between the formal and the informal.- 8. Entrepreneurial ecosystem in crisis Icelandic tourism in times of COVID 19.- 9. Tourism Impact of Social Media Influencers on Entrepreneurship during COVID 19.-  10. Exploring the Dynamics of Digital Applications in Icelandic Tourism Insights from Stakeholders.- 11. A Scientometric Analysis to Guide future Research on tourism Entrepreneurship.

Desiderio J. García-Almeida is professor of Management at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.

Guðrún Þóra Gunnarsdóttir is Director of the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre, Iceland.

Gunnar Thór Jóhannesson is professor in the Department of Geography and Tourism at the University of Iceland, Iceland.

Thorhallur Orn Gudlaugsson is professor of Business Administration at the University of Iceland, Iceland.