Future proofing of tourism entrepreneurship in Oman: challenges and prospects

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to analyze the various factors that inhibit tourism student’s inclination toward tourism-related entrepreneurial activities in Oman. Design/methodology/approach The study was conducted with 223 students of tourism studies who were selected on simple random sampling basis and were contacted through a well-defined questionnaire. Findings The study reveals that the factors like non-discrimination of gender, promotion opportunities and physical working conditions play a crucial role in motivating students to take up tourism-related career. The empirical results also reveal that the high risk of accidents, non-tourism spouse preferences and Omani traditional values discourage tourism. Thus, a natural growth toward setting up of such tourism-related entrepreneurial activities is thwarted. Research limitations/implications The study was restricted to undergraduate students of tourism studies in and around Muscat, Oman. The study could be extended to know the insight of the personnel involved in the entire tourism sector in Oman. Practical implications The study demonstrates that there is a strong association between the motivating factors and the various reasons that encourage studying tourism. The main factors impeding entrepreneurship tourism are the insufficiency of capital, lack of awareness about the ongoing programmes as well as the lack of entrepreneurial skills. Social implications There exists necessity for the government and the related sponsoring institutions to create an ecosystem that facilitates and encourages tourism entrepreneurs. This will in turn help in the process of diversifying Oman’s future economy toward tourism. Originality/value Very few studies have examined the entrepreneurship tourism in Oman for sustainable development, and it is a first-hand study of its kind.