IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i11p4911-d1665323.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Pathway to Sustainable Agritourism: An Integration of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Resource Dependence Theories

Author

Listed:
  • Birendra KC

    (Department of Hospitality, Event, and Tourism Management, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA)

  • Robert Robbins

    (Department of Hospitality, Event, and Tourism Management, University of North Texas, Denton, TX 76203, USA)

  • Shuangyu Xu

    (School of Natural Resources, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211, USA)

Abstract

Agritourism has grown significantly worldwide in recent years, even during the COVID-19 pandemic when faced with various challenges. To understand the reasons behind the rapid growth and be better prepared for future crises, this study interviewed 22 agritourism businesses in Texas (USA) regarding the influence of the pandemic and their adaptation strategies. Results indicated that COVID accentuated the entrepreneurial self-efficacy of agritourism business owners, which is key to their growth during the pandemic while highlighting the resource-dependent nature of agritourism businesses. Despite lacking governmental policy support at all levels, agritourism businesses thrived during the pandemic through their creative adaptations. This study provides valuable implications for sustainable agritourism development.

Suggested Citation

  • Birendra KC & Robert Robbins & Shuangyu Xu, 2025. "A Pathway to Sustainable Agritourism: An Integration of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Resource Dependence Theories," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-20, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:11:p:4911-:d:1665323
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/11/4911/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/11/4911/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. M. Farzana Halim & Carla Barbieri & Duarte B. Morais & Susan Jakes & Erin Seekamp, 2020. "Beyond Economic Earnings: The Holistic Meaning of Success for Women in Agritourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(12), pages 1-16, June.
    2. Barbara Zanetti & Milena Verrascina & Francesco Licciardo & Giuseppe Gargano, 2022. "Agritourism and Farms Diversification in Italy: What Have We Learnt from COVID-19?," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-21, August.
    3. Xiaowen Jin & Hao Wu & Jing Zhang & Guangming He, 2021. "Agritourism Development in the USA: The Strategy of the State of Michigan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-14, October.
    4. Kumar Bhatta & Yasuo Ohe & Adriano Ciani, 2020. "Which Human Resources Are Important for Turning Agritourism Potential into Reality? SWOT Analysis in Rural Nepal," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-17, June.
    5. Mihaela Cristina Drăgoi & Irina-Eugenia Iamandi & Sebastian Madalin Munteanu & Radu Ciobanu & Ramona Iulia Țarțavulea (Dieaconescu) & Raluca Georgiana Lădaru, 2017. "Incentives for Developing Resilient Agritourism Entrepreneurship in Rural Communities in Romania in a European Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-30, November.
    6. Maryam Mahmoodi & Michał Roman & Piotr Prus, 2022. "Features and Challenges of Agritourism: Evidence from Iran and Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-20, April.
    7. Tang-Ping Chen & Ku-Yuan Lee & Pegdwende Moise Kabre & Chi-Ming Hsieh, 2020. "Impacts of Educational Agritourism on Students’ Future Career Intentions: Evidence from Agricultural Exchange Programs," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-19, November.
    8. Ramirez, Matias & Bernal, Paloma & Clarke, Ian & Hernandez, Ivan, 2018. "The role of social networks in the inclusion of small-scale producers in agri-food developing clusters," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 59-70.
    9. Xiaowen Jin & Liang Wang & Zhengzheng Zhang & Jingzhuang Yan, 2022. "Factors Affecting the Income of Agritourism Operations: Evidence from an Eastern Chinese County," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.
    10. Chen, Chao C. & Greene, Patricia Gene & Crick, Ann, 1998. "Does entrepreneurial self-efficacy distinguish entrepreneurs from managers?," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 13(4), pages 295-316, July.
    11. Birendra KC & Duarte B. Morais & Erin Seekamp & Jordan W. Smith & M. Nils Peterson, 2018. "Bonding and Bridging Forms of Social Capital in Wildlife Tourism Microentrepreneurship: An Application of Social Network Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(2), pages 1-17, January.
    12. Michał Roman & Piotr Grudzień, 2021. "The Essence of Agritourism and Its Profitability during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-25, May.
    13. Chadley R. Hollas & Lisa Chase & David Conner & Lori Dickes & R. David Lamie & Claudia Schmidt & Doolarie Singh-Knights & Lindsay Quella, 2021. "Factors Related to Profitability of Agritourism in the United States: Results from a National Survey of Operators," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(23), pages 1-17, December.
    14. Salvatore Ammirato & Alberto Michele Felicetti & Cinzia Raso & Bruno Antonio Pansera & Antonio Violi, 2020. "Agritourism and Sustainability: What We Can Learn from a Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-18, November.
    15. Ming-Lang Tseng & Chia-Hao Chang & Kuo-Jui Wu & Chun-Wei Remen Lin & Bhuripan Kalnaovkul & Raymond R. Tan, 2019. "Sustainable Agritourism in Thailand: Modeling Business Performance and Environmental Sustainability under Uncertainty," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-20, July.
    16. Mojgan Khoshmaram & Nematollah Shiri & Rachel S. Shinnar & Moslem Savari, 2020. "Environmental support and entrepreneurial behavior among Iranian farmers: The mediating roles of social and human capital," Journal of Small Business Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 58(5), pages 1064-1088, September.
    17. Yasuo Ohe, 2023. "Exploring New Opportunities for Agritourism in the Post-COVID-19 Era," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(6), pages 1-4, June.
    18. Ping Yin & Linjie Zhou, 2023. "Place Identity, Social Capital, and Rural Homestay Entrepreneurship Performance: The Mediating Effect of Self-Efficacy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(15), pages 1-14, August.
    19. Aliza Fleischer & Anat Tchetchik & Ziv Bar-Nahum & Evyatar Talev, 2018. "Is agriculture important to agritourism? The agritourism attraction market in Israel," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 45(2), pages 273-296.
    20. Nesrine Khazami & Zoltan Lakner, 2021. "Influence of Social Capital, Social Motivation and Functional Competencies of Entrepreneurs on Agritourism Business: Rural Lodges," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-24, August.
    21. Shuangyu Xu & Carla Barbieri & Erin Seekamp, 2020. "Social Capital along Wine Trails: Spilling the Wine to Residents?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-14, February.
    22. Thomas Dax & Dachang Zhang & Yanying Chen, 2019. "Agritourism Initiatives in the Context of Continuous Out-Migration: Comparative Perspectives for the Alps and Chinese Mountain Regions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-18, August.
    23. Gil Arroyo, Claudia & Barbieri, Carla & Rozier Rich, Samantha, 2013. "Defining agritourism: A comparative study of stakeholders' perceptions in Missouri and North Carolina," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 37(C), pages 39-47.
    24. Giovanni Peira & Davide Longo & Francesca Pucciarelli & Alessandro Bonadonna, 2021. "Rural Tourism Destination: The Ligurian Farmers’ Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-15, December.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Alieh Abadi & Mehdi Khakzand, 2022. "Extracting the qualitative dimensions of agritourism for the sustainable development of Charqoli village in Iran: the promotion of vernacular entrepreneurship and environment-oriented preservation per," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 24(11), pages 12609-12671, November.
    2. Zabih-Allah Torabi & Amir Reza Khavarian-Garmsir & Colin Michael Hall & Neda Beiraghi Khatibi, 2023. "Unintended Maladaptation: How Agritourism Development Policies in Iran Have Increased Vulnerability to Climate Change," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-15, August.
    3. Kumar Bhatta & Yasuo Ohe, 2020. "A Review of Quantitative Studies in Agritourism: The Implications for Developing Countries," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-18, October.
    4. Yuyu Wu & Jia Chen, 2023. "Spatial Distribution Heterogeneity and Influencing Factors of Different Leisure Agriculture Types in the City," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-20, August.
    5. Abdi Shukri Yasin & Zsuzsanna Bacsi, 2025. "Agritourism and Rural Development: A Global Bibliometric Analysis of the State of Research, Limitations, and Future Directions," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-22, April.
    6. Xiaowen Jin & Hao Wu & Jing Zhang & Guangming He, 2021. "Agritourism Development in the USA: The Strategy of the State of Michigan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-14, October.
    7. Sofia Karampela & Alexis Andreopoulos & Alex Koutsouris, 2021. "“Agro”, “Agri”, or “Rural”: The Different Viewpoints of Tourism Research Combined with Sustainability and Sustainable Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-15, August.
    8. Brune, Sara & Knollenberg, Whitney & Vilá, Olivia, 2023. "Agritourism resilience during the COVID-19 crisis," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    9. Dora Isabel Rodrigues Ferreira & José-Manuel Sánchez-Martín, 2022. "Shedding Light on Agritourism in Iberian Cross-Border Regions from a Lodgings Perspective," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-35, October.
    10. Chihkang Kenny Wu & Chia-Nan Wang & Thi Kim Trang Le & Nhat-Luong Nhieu, 2022. "Sustainable Agritourism Location Investigation in Vietnam by a Spherical Fuzzy Extension of Integrated Decision-Making Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-24, August.
    11. Anna Jeczmyk & Roma Rys-Jurek, 2024. "Comparative Analysis of Official Revenues from Agritourism in Italy and Poland," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(Special B), pages 573-589.
    12. Alina Emilia Maria Gherdan & Ramona Vasilica Bacter & Ramona Ciolac & Tiberiu Iancu & Cristina Maria Maerescu & Monica Angelica Dodu & Aurelia Ioana Chereji & Vasile Grigore Herman & Alexandra Ungurea, 2025. "Sustainable Agritourism Development in Romania’s North-West Mountain Region: A TOPSIS-Based Evaluation of Strategic Priorities," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-28, March.
    13. Michał Roman & Kumar Bhatta & Monika Roman & Prakash Gautam, 2021. "Socio-Economic Factors Influencing Travel Decision-Making of Poles and Nepalis during the COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-16, October.
    14. Marius-Ionuț Gordan & Elena Peț & Gabriela Popescu & Ioan Brad & Anda Ioana Milin & Tabita Cornelia Adamov & Ramona Ciolac & Anka Roxana Pascariu & Tiberiu Iancu, 2022. "Factors Influencing the Accommodation Prices of Romanian Rural Tourism," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(1), pages 1-22, December.
    15. Jing Li & Carla Barbieri, 2020. "Demystifying Members’ Social Capital and Networks within an Agritourism Association: A Social Network Analysis," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 1(1), pages 1-18, December.
    16. Schmidt, Claudia & Tian, Zheng & Goetz, Stephan J. & Chase, Lisa, 2022. "Drivers of Agritourism and Direct Sales Clusters in the United States," 2022 Annual Meeting, July 31-August 2, Anaheim, California 322207, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    17. Madawala, Kalani & Foroudi, Pantea & Palazzo, Maria, 2023. "Exploring the role played by entrepreneurial self-efficacy among women entrepreneurs in tourism sector," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    18. Huanchen Tang & Ruiqi Wang & Xiaowen Jin & Zhengzheng Zhang, 2022. "The Effects of Motivation, Destination Image and Satisfaction on Rural Tourism Tourists’ Willingness to Revisit," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-17, September.
    19. Nesrine Khazami & Zoltan Lakner, 2022. "The Development of Social Capital during the Process of Starting an Agritourism Business," Tourism and Hospitality, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-15, February.
    20. Xiaowen Jin & Liang Wang & Zhengzheng Zhang & Jingzhuang Yan, 2022. "Factors Affecting the Income of Agritourism Operations: Evidence from an Eastern Chinese County," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(14), pages 1-18, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:11:p:4911-:d:1665323. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.