A Spatial Analysis of Tourism, Entrepreneurship and the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in North Carolina, USA

Abstract

In light of the projected long-term national economic trends, the vulnerability of rural regions, and the difficulty of small businesses to stay solvent, it is imperative to understand the critical elements within a small business' operating environment or “ecosystem” that support or thwart entrepreneurial activity. Using the 100 counties of North Carolina as a case study, the purpose of this research project was to determine which entrepreneurial ecosystem elements (E3) have the most influence on tourism and entrepreneurship, to identify spatial patterns in this relationship, as well as the extent to which entrepreneurial and tourist activity overlap regionally. Using national secondary data sources, the authors identified that the interaction of entrepreneurship with the proportion of those employed in the creative class is strongly associated with the growth in the number of new establishments and employment, particularly in those rural counties endowed with attractive outdoor amenities.