Factors Affecting Entrepreneurial Intention in the field of Sustainable Tourism among Students and Graduates (Case Study: Iranian Universities)

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Department of Tourism Management, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mazandaran, Babolsar, Iran.

Abstract

Green tourism entrepreneurship involves identifying entrepreneurial opportunities and pursuing sustainable development aligned with environmental conservation. The advancement of green technologies and the strengthening of a green entrepreneurial mindset are essential for progress in this field. Today, entrepreneurs play a fundamental role in driving change and fostering growth in the global economy. Entrepreneurship is considered a crucial element of economic development due to its significant contribution to enhancing public welfare through job creation. Accordingly, higher education institutions, supported by government policies, offer mandatory entrepreneurship courses to encourage students toward innovative and entrepreneurial activities. Therefore, this study aims to identify the factors influencing students’ intentions to become green entrepreneurs. The research uses an extended model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) combined with the role of entrepreneurship education to develop a theoretical framework. Data were collected from 204 students and graduates in tourism and tourism management programs at the Universities of Tehran, Mazandaran, Gilan, Allameh Tabataba’i, and Semnan. Sampling was conducted as a census, and data were gathered using an online questionnaire. The instrument’s validity was confirmed by subject matter experts, and reliability was assessed through a Cronbach’s alpha coefficient above 0.7. Data analysis was performed using structural equation modeling. Findings indicate that students lack sufficient knowledge about green entrepreneurship. Furthermore, results show that attitude, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, and entrepreneurship education have a direct impact on entrepreneurial intention.

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