Tourism Development in Rural Border Territories: A “ Phronetic ” Approach to Threats and Opportunities

Rafael Robina-Ramírez, Francisco Javier Castellano-Álvarez (), Paulo Ferreira and Luís Loures
Additional contact information
Rafael Robina-Ramírez: Business Management and Sociology Department, University of Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain
Francisco Javier Castellano-Álvarez: Economy Department, University of Extremadura, 10071 Cáceres, Spain
Luís Loures: VALORIZA-Research Center for Endogenous Resource Valorization, 7300-555 Portalegre, Portugal

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 5, 1-20

Abstract: This study emphasises the crucial role of practical wisdom (“ phronesis ”) in the hotel industry, highlighting its impact on ethical behavior, operational reliability, and guest trust. The database was provided by the regional government in Extremadura and the national government in Portugal. Qualitative data from interviews and quantitative data managing from SEM-PLS were provided. In total, 175 rural hotels in Extremadura and Portugal have participated in this study. This study emphasises the significance of integrating ethical leadership with operational excellence to ensure sustainable tourism in rural border territories. It highlights the importance of practical wisdom (“ phronesis ”) in addressing complex ethical dilemmas while balancing cultural preservation and environmental responsibility. Key managerial practices include fostering safe spaces for ethical reflection and integrating technology with cultural sensitivity. These practices help build trust within communities and ensure long-term operational success while respecting local traditions and ecological concerns.

Keywords: “ phronesis ”; ethical leadership; challenges and opportunities; long-term sustainability; hotel management (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/5/524/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/15/5/524/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:5:p:524-:d:1602169

Access Statistics for this article

Agriculture is currently edited by Ms. Leda Xuan

More articles in Agriculture from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().