Eleni Sardianou

Understanding the entrepreneurs’ behavioural intentions towards sustainable tourism: a case study from Greece

This study’s aim is mainly to provide insights into the factors that affect sustainable tourism entrepreneurs’ behavioural intentions, employing data from Greece. Given that intention is a powerful predictor of actual behaviour, to stimulate sustainable entrepreneurial activity in the tourism sector and achieve sustainable development, it is important to study the factors that affect entrepreneur’s behavioural intentions towards sustainability. Findings through this empirical analysis support that entrepreneur’s demographics parameters and firm characteristics have distinctive effects in explaining respondents’ behaviour towards sustainable entrepreneurship and acknowledgement of sustainability options of a community. In particular, results suggest that younger entrepreneurs are probably more informed about the potential of the sustainability for the regions and are more likely to favour sustainable tourism practices. Entrepreneur’s income is also a statistical significant parameter towards sustainable entrepreneurship intentions within the tourism sector. Finally, entrepreneurs reported as important for the promotion of tourism sustainability the creation of knowledge networks and websites to focus on sustainable business and the promotion of environmental labels and certified management systems in tourism businesses.

Prospects for Local Development Based on Cultural Assets/Heritage: The Residents’ Perspective

Cultural heritage is recognised as an important asset for local development. The present study provides insights into the factors determining the residents’ perspective on the contribution of cultural assets to the local development of Sikyon. The theoretical analysis is based on the cultural and socioeconomic characteristics of the Sikyon area and the prospects of cultural and economic development through cultural tourism. The empirical analysis is based on descriptive statistical analyses and the estimation of regression models, employing data from 200 residents of Sikyon, from January 2012 to March 2012. The empirical results suggest the importance of the educational attainment of the residents with regard to culturally based local development. Statistical analysis also highlights the importance of economic incentives on the willingness to accept tourism expansion in an area with a rich cultural heritage. This study also shows the importance of information dissemination in promoting cultural tourism. Finally, results confirm that residents view cultural tourism as a means of improving the economic and cultural sustainability of a local community.