A Study of Entrepreneurial Intentions among Tourism Students

Abstract

The purpose of the current study is to conceptually highlight the factors that influence the entrepreneurial intention of tourism students. Additionally, this study identified the main theories that are typically applied to forecast the entrepreneurial intentions of these students. This paper is entirely based on a review of available literature related to the entrepreneurial intention of tourism students. Shapero & Sokol’s  Entrepreneurial Event Model and Ajzen’s Theory of Planned Behaviour are found to be the most frequently used theories in these studies to predict tourism students’ entrepreneurial intentions. Entrepreneurship education is found to be one of the most crucial elements in assisting students to understand entrepreneurship and influencing their desire to launch their own enterprises. The entrepreneurial intent of tourism students is also found to be influenced by personality traits (leadership, risk-taking propensity, locus of control, tolerance of ambiguity, need for achievement, innovativeness, and self-efficacy), demographic characteristics (gender, family background), and motivating factors such as professional autonomy, fulfilment of personal visions, achieving personal assets, searching for new challenges, role models, social capital among others. The current study adds to the existing body of knowledge and offers insight into the various factors influencing the entrepreneurial intent of tourism students so that actions could be taken appropriately to translate this intention into behaviour, which in turn would create more job opportunities and produce a positive economic outcome.