A business model framework for nature tourism entrepreneurs

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ABSTRACT Small-scale tourism entrepreneurs play an important role in the development of nature tourism destinations, and building competitive business models can be crucial for the success of both these entrepreneurs and the nature destinations they inhabit. However, traditional business model frameworks do not adequately capture the unique characteristics of nature tourism and its entrepreneurs, such as their non-economic and nature-based values. Thus, developing knowledge about business models for nature tourism entrepreneurs calls for an alternative theoretical approach. This paper aims to develop such a novel approach by integrating existing knowledge about the unique characteristics of nature tourism and its entrepreneurs with a Service Dominant Logic theory, which incorporates both human and non-human actors such as nature. To illustrate the analytical relevance of the framework, it is applied in a case study of nature tourism entrepreneurs that identifies internal incongruences within the entrepreneurs’ existing business models. The case study also demonstrates how the entrepreneurs attempt to address these incongruences. The framework is relevant also to other small scale tourism entrepreneurs operating in other contexts.