Reframing Indigenous tourism entrepreneurial personality, experience, sense of community and challenges in community-based tourism-related business
Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy
ISSN: 1750-6204
Article publication date: 10 February 2023
Issue publication date: 27 February 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the Malaysian Mah Meri Indigenous tourism entrepreneur’s personality, experience, sense of community traits and current challenges in community-based tourism (CBT)-related businesses.
Design/methodology/approach
Semi-structured interviews were conducted to gather data from 10 Indigenous tourism entrepreneurs. Data were analysed using the NVivo 11 software.
Findings
The qualitative content analysis found three broad themes. Firstly, the authors found that the Mah Meri community possesses unique self-efficacy personality characteristics, significantly predicting their unsustainable entrepreneurial behaviours. Secondly, they are willing to share their values, beliefs and interests in their business offerings, which reflect their sense of community. Even with considerable entrepreneurial experience through learning from local wisdom and upskilling efforts by the government, the authors found that the community limitation mainly concerns the lack of early education, uninventive entrepreneurship practices and financial assistance.
Practical implications
This study provides an improved understanding of the Indigenous business environment for policymakers and Indigenous entrepreneurs. We found entrepreneurial personality, experience, sense of community determine and structure their CBT entrepreneurial activities.
Originality/value
This study provides a new perspective on Indigenous tourism entrepreneurs’ personalities, experiences, sense of community traits and challenges. The study also suggests encouraging sustainable Indigenous entrepreneurship practices for economic development, self-determination and community sustainability.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was part of the Indigenous peoples and tourism business entrepreneurship project between Chiang Mai Rajabhat University and Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia. The authors want to thank the Chiang Mai Rajabhat University and Universiti Teknologi MARA Malaysia for supporting this project with the SRP Matching Research Grant (100-RMC 5/3/GPM (004/2020)). The authors would like also to acknowledge the effort of Nur Syahirah Mohamad Ali and Siti Nurul Atiqah Mohd Hamidi for their effort in data collection.
Citation
Hanafiah, M.H., Zamzuri, N.H., Sharif, T.I.S.T. and Chartrungruang, B.-o. (2024), "Reframing Indigenous tourism entrepreneurial personality, experience, sense of community and challenges in community-based tourism-related business", Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, Vol. 18 No. 2, pp. 327-346. https://doi.org/10.1108/JEC-09-2022-0131
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited