Chapter 2: Social Entrepreneurship and Eco-Tourism: The Context of Social Entrepreneurship Through Tourism Studies from Social and Environmental Perspectives

Abstract

The continuous search for sustainable practices in the tourism sector paves the way for alternative approaches to social entrepreneurship perspectives. Despite growing research interests in social entrepreneurship, the impact remains fragmented and this has led to calls for a details explanation of the process of social entrepreneurship in tourism sectors. The purpose of this chapter is to address this gap in the social entrepreneurship context by conceptualizing eco-tourism as a strategy to host communities and conserve the environment. By critically explaining the relationship between social entrepreneurship and tourism studies, this paper situates social entrepreneurship tourism within and for local community development. Drawing upon previous literature and case study research, this chapter explores the significance of eco-tourism for the process of social entrepreneurship. The key role is how this chapter explaining all entrepreneurship in these discussions led to the understanding of the issue, its definition, and its development. This chapter contributes to the emerging literature on social entrepreneurship and tourism to enhance the eco-tourism ecosystem as they focus on developing community-based social enterprises.