Obstacles to Sustainable Entrepreneurship amongst Tourism Students: A Gender Comparison

Vera Butkouskaya, Francesc Romagosa and Maria Noguera
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Francesc Romagosa: School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain
Maria Noguera: School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: Students’ start-ups are making a significant contribution towards sustainable entrepreneurship development. Thus, this article examines the obstacles to sustainable entrepreneurship amongst university students of tourism and focuses on gender difference. The empirical analysis was based on data from 290 tourism students’ surveys accomplished in Spain, in the period from 2012 to 2018. Descriptive statistics were used for the data analysis and a t -test for gender comparison analysis. The research revealed that the students’ entrepreneurial intentions did not affect their evaluation of the barriers preventing them from creating their own businesses. The main barriers to new business creation were mainly related to economic factors (both societal and university related), the level of innovation in society, and the students’ self-confidence (mostly with regard to interest and motivation). Female students were more conscious of the possible obstacles to new business creation than male students. A significant difference between male and female students regarding personal obstacles was explained by the fact that the females considered their lack of entrepreneurial education as more significant than did the males. In addition, the female students tended to need more economic and practical support than male students. Finally, practical suggestions to encourage sustainable entrepreneurship amongst tourism students are discussed.

Keywords: sustainable entrepreneurship; tourism students; gender comparison (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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