Place Integration of Migrant Tourism Entrepreneurs in Rural Destinations: A Social Capital Perspective

Against the backdrop of the rapid expansion of rural tourism, an increasing number of migrant tourism entrepreneurs (MTEs) are moving from urban to rural areas. The integration of MTEs is crucial for both business sustainability and rural development. Using Hongcun village as a case study, this study adopts qualitative methods, including participant observation and semi-structured interviews, to explore the dynamic process of MTEs’ place integration from a social capital perspective. The findings suggest that MTEs’ place integration is manifested through four dimensions, namely economic embeddedness, social interaction, cultural acceptance, and emotional integration. Moreover, place integration and social capital form a mutually reinforcing cycle: integration practices generate localized social capital, which in turn facilitates deeper integration. The study also identifies that selective interaction leads to network stratification, highlighting the potential “dark side” of social capital. These findings suggest that effective integration depends not only on the accumulation of social capital but also on maintaining a dynamic balance among different types of social relationships.