Tourism entrepreneurship in rural destinations: measuring the effects of capital configurations using the fsQCA approach

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the causal configuration effect of the determinants of tourism entrepreneurship in rural tourism destinations based on the capital framework. Design/methodology/approach The data for this research were collected from a sample comprising 140 rural enterprise owners in China and analyzed via fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis. Findings All the investigated capital factors were relevant to tourism entrepreneurship, although they only facilitated tourism entrepreneurship when combined. It was observed here that four capital configurations promoted tourism entrepreneurship in rural destinations, highlighting the multiple paths toward rural tourism entrepreneurship. The human and physical capitals of entrepreneurs were key to tourism entrepreneurship. Practical implications It is relevant for entrepreneurs and managers to realize that there are multiple strategies for promoting tourism entrepreneurship in rural destinations. The four capital configurations revealed here offer guidelines for evaluating the potential and possibility of rural tourism entrepreneurship. Local managers and governments must prioritize human and physical capitals when the venture capital and resources are limited. Originality/value First, the findings of this study deepened the understanding of the factors influencing tourism entrepreneurship using the capital framework. Second, it revealed that capital configurations determined tourism entrepreneurship and that existence and interactions of the various forms of capital affect rural entrepreneurship. Third, this study revealed that the success of tourism entrepreneurship depends on the entrepreneur’s ability to combine the various forms of capital and resources.