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Obstacles to Sustainable Entrepreneurship amongst Tourism Students: A Gender Comparison

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  • Vera Butkouskaya

    (School of Tourism and Hotel Management, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalonia, Spain)

  • 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)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Vera Butkouskaya & Francesc Romagosa & Maria Noguera, 2020. "Obstacles to Sustainable Entrepreneurship amongst Tourism Students: A Gender Comparison," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-15, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:5:p:1812-:d:326290
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    2. Sebastian Aparicio & Andreu Turro & Maria Noguera, 2020. "Entrepreneurship and Intrapreneurship in Social, Sustainable, and Economic Development: Opportunities and Challenges for Future Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(21), pages 1-11, October.
    3. Mercedes Barrachina Fernández & Maria del Carmen García-Centeno & Carmen Calderón Patier, 2021. "Women Sustainable Entrepreneurship: Review and Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-12, October.
    4. Ainhoa del Pino Rodríguez-Vera & Dolores Rando-Cueto & Carlos de las Heras Pedrosa, 2025. "Women’s Entrepreneurship in the Tourism Industry: A Bibliometric Study," Administrative Sciences, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-16, April.
    5. Sajjad Nawaz Khan & Muhammad Mubushar & Ikram Ullah Khan & Hafiz Mudassir Rehman & Safeer Ullah Khan, 2021. "The influence of personality traits on sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial intentions: the moderating role of servant leadership," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 23(9), pages 13707-13730, September.
    6. Vera Butkouskaya & Joan Llonch-Andreu & María-del-Carmen Alarcón-del-Amo, 2020. "Entrepreneurial Orientation (EO), Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC), and Performance in Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs): Gender Gap and Inter-Country Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-18, September.
    7. Miguel Ángel Montañés-Del-Río & José Aurelio Medina-Garrido, 2020. "Determinants of the Propensity for Innovation among Entrepreneurs in the Tourism Industry," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-18, June.
    8. Eunju Jung & Yongjin Lee, 2020. "College Students’ Entrepreneurial Mindset: Educational Experiences Override Gender and Major," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-28, October.
    9. Farah Fathizadeh & Farhad Azizpour & Nader Sanati Sharghi & Heather L. Mair, 2022. "Boolean Analysis of Factors Affecting Women’s Participation in Rural Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(9), pages 1-17, April.
    10. Ramona Ciolac & Tiberiu Iancu & Ioan Brad & Gabriela Popescu & Diana Marin & Tabita Adamov, 2020. "Agritourism Activity—A “Smart Chance” for Mountain Rural Environment’s Sustainability," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(15), pages 1-26, August.
    11. Walter Leal Filho & David Anthony Kirby & Tiago F. A. C. Sigahi & Ricardo L. F. Bella & Rosley Anholon & Osvaldo L. G. Quelhas, 2025. "Higher education and sustainable entrepreneurship: The state of the art and a look to the future," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 957-969, February.
    12. Kevin Reuther & Yngve Dahle & Carolin Schmidt & Franziska Schösser, 2023. "Motivational Facets of Sustainable Entrepreneurship: A Systematic Review and Future Research Agenda," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(3), pages 1-23, January.

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