Development of Entrepreneurship in Rural Tourism: A Case Study of Villages on Mashhad Metropolis of Iran

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Corresponding Author and Associate Professor, Faculty of Management and Accounting, University of Sistan and Baluchestan, Iran

2 MA Graduate in Entrepreneurship Management, Faculty of Entrepreneurship, University of Sistan and Baluchestan

Abstract

Rural tourism is a new source of income and employment and a context for rural sustainable development. This study aimed at investigating the factors affecting the development of entrepreneurship in rural tourism in Mashhad Metropolis of Iran. For this purpose, the concerned researches were investigated and the opinions of experts were collected in the first place. Then, an AHP questionnaire was designed and a SWOT analysis was conducted in snowball sampling method. Based on the results, the most important sub-factors associated with the strengths were "the high actual and potential functionality of the tourism" and "the public security" in the area and those with the weaknesses were "the weak culture of entrepreneurship among the residents" and "the high cost of supplies and equipment". In addition, the sub-factors of "the existence of more varied ways to obtain income" and "paving the ground for the local community participation in decision-making" were known as the most important opportunities; and finally, "the rural negative immigration" and "the cultural alienation of the villages with the arrival of entrepreneurs from other areas" were found the highest significant threats.

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References

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