Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility in Ecotourism: Entrepreneurial Motivation Enacted Through Sustainability Objectives

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility in Tourism

Part of the book series: CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance ((CSEG))

  • 2110 Accesses

Abstract

Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility (CSR) refers to organisational behaviours dedicated to the responsible use of natural resources, sensitivity to social capital or host culture and the sustainable distribution of economic wealth. These behaviours create social value and are in the interest of wider society. Organisations, including those who operate within the tourism industry, have been under longstanding social pressure to exhibit CSR behaviours. This social pressure has ultimately contributed to the emergence of sustainable tourism forms such as ecotourism. However, as this chapter recounts, there is no guarantee that the sustainability premise on which ecotourism has been founded will equate to actual responsible business behaviours. This chapter identifies that social and environmental failings observed within ecotourism may be a result of poor community consultation, ineffective ecotourism management and ‘inauthentic’ entrepreneurial motivations. It argues that should these failings be addressed, ecotourism does hold some potential to positively contribute to the tourism industries’ engagement with both sustainable and responsible behaviour. In part, this potential is dependent upon an ability to attract ‘altruistically motivated’ entrepreneurs to ecotourism business start-up, as these entrepreneurial types may represent a more reliable exponent of sustainable business behaviours. This proposition would be further supported where altruistic motivation is coupled with responsive ecotourism development, management and consultation. There is a role then for government and other tourism industry stakeholders to develop and offer support and management mechanisms for altruistically motivated ecotourism developments.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Hardcover Book
USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ann, L. (2010). Ecotourism: The modern predator? Implications of Gorilla tourism on local Livelihoods in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, Uganda. Environment and Planning D: Society and Space, 28(4), 726–743.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ateljevic, I., & Doorne, S. (2000). ‘Staying within the fence’: Lifestyle entrepreneurship in tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 8(5), 378–392.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barkin, D., & Pailles, C. (1999). NGO-Community collaboration for ecotourism: A strategy for sustainable regional development. Tourism Recreation Research, 24(2), 69–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baumol, W. J. (1990). Entrepreneurship: Productive, unproductive, and destructive. Journal of Political Economy, 98(5), 893–921.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Blamey, R. K. (1997). Ecotourism: The search for an operational definition. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 5(2), 109–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boo, E. (1990). Ecotourism: The potentials and pitfalls: Country case studies. Washington: World Wildlife Fund.

    Google Scholar 

  • Buckley, R. (2004). Partnerships in ecotourism: Australian political frameworks. International Journal of Tourism Research, 6(2), 75–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butler, R. W. (1974). The social implications of tourist developments. Annals of Tourism Research, 2(2), 100–111.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Butler, R. W. (1990). Alternative tourism: Pious hope or trojan horse? Journal of Travel Research, 28(3), 40–45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Camilleri, M. (2014). Advancing the sustainable tourism agenda through strategic CSR perspectives. Tourism Planning and Development, 11(1), 42–56.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. L. (2007). Why would corporations behave in socially responsible ways? An institutional theory of corporate social responsibility. Academy of Management Review, 32(3), 946–967.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, L. M. (1999). Ecotourism in rural developing communities. Annals of Tourism Research, 26(3), 534–553.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carr, A. (2007). Negotiating the obstacles: Owner/operator perspectives on ‘nature’ tourism in New Zealand. In J. Higham (Ed.), Critical issues in ecotoutism: Understanding a complex tourism phenomenon (pp. 406–427). Oxford: Elsevier.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Carrier, J. G., & Macleod, D. V. L. (2005). Bursting the bubble: The socio-cultural context of ecotourism. Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute, 11(2), 315–334.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chirozva, C. (2015). Community agency and entrepreneurship in ecotourism planning and development in the Great Limpopo transfrontier conservation area. Journal of Ecotourism, 14(2–3), 185–203.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, B., & Winn, M. I. (2007). Market imperfections, opportunity and sustainable entrepreneurship. Journal of Business Venturing, 22(1), 29–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coria, J., & Calfucura, E. (2012). Ecotourism and the development of indigenous communities: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Ecological Economics, 73, 47–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cowper-Smith, A., & de Grosbois, D. (2011). The adoption of corporate social responsibility practices in the airline industry. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 19(1), 59–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dacin, M. T., Dacin, P. A., & Tracey, P. (2011). Social entrepreneurship: A Critique and future directions. Organization Science, 22(5), 1203–1213.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahlsrud, A. (2008). How corporate social responsibility is defined: An analysis of 37 definitions. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 15(1), 1–13.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dean, T. J., & McMullen, J. S. (2007). Toward a theory of sustainable entrepreneurship: Reducing environmental degradation through entrepreneurial action. Journal of Business Venturing, 22(1), 50–76.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dees, J. G. (1998). The meaning of social entrepreneurship. Comments and suggestions contributed from the Social Entrepreneurship Funders Working Group, 6 pp.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dinica, V. (2017). Tourism concessions in national parks: Neo-liberal governance experiments for a Conservation Economy in New Zealand. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 25(12), 1811–1829.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dinica, V. (2018). The environmental sustainability of protected area tourism: towards a concessions focused theory of regulation. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 26(1), 146–164.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donohoe, H. M., & Needham, R. D. (2006). Ecotourism: The evolving contemporary definition. Journal of Ecotourism, 5(3), 192–210.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Drucker, P. F. (2014). Innovation and entrepreneurship. New York: Routledge.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Esparon, M., Gyuris, E., & Stoeckl, N. (2013). Does ECO certification deliver benefits? An empirical investigation of visitors’ perceptions of the importance of ECO certification’s attributes and of operators’ performance. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 22(1), 148–169.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Farrelly, T. (2013). Community-based ecotourism as indigenous social entrepreneurship. In A. Holden & D. A. Fennell (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of tourism and environment (pp. 447–459). London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Farrelly, T. A. (2011). Indigenous and democratic decision-making: Issues from community-based ecotourism in the Boumā National Heritage Park, Fiji. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 19(7), 817–835.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fennell, D. A. (2000). Comment: Ecotourism on trial-the case of billfish angling as ecotourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 8(4), 341–345.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fennell, D. A. (2001). A content analysis of ecotourism definitions. Current Issues in Tourism, 4(5), 403–421.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frynas, J. G. (2005). The false developmental promise of corporate social responsibility: Evidence from multinational oil companies. International Affairs, 81(3), 581–598.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fuller, D., Buultjens, J., & Cummings, E. (2005). Ecotourism and indigenous micro-enterprise formation in northern Australia opportunities and constraints. Tourism Management, 26(6), 891–904.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Getz, D., & Carlsen, J. (2000). Characteristics and goals of family and owner-operated businesses in the rural tourism and hospitality sectors. Tourism Management, 21(6), 547–560.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gezon, L. L. (2014). Who wins and who loses? Unpacking the “local people” concept in ecotourism: A longitudinal study of community equity in Ankarana, Madagascar. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 22(5), 821–838.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gopakumar, K. (1995). The entrepreneur in economic thought: A thematic overview. Journal of Entrepreneurship, 4(1), 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gössling, S. (1999). Ecotourism: A means to safeguard biodiversity and ecosystem functions? Ecological Economics, 29(2), 303–320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gurung, D. B., & Seeland, K. (2011). Ecotourism benefits and livelihood improvement for sustainable development in the nature conservation areas of Bhutan. Sustainable Development, 19(5), 348–358.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hardin, G. (1968). The tragedy of the commons. Science, 162(3859), 1234–1248.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higham, J., & Lück, M. (2002). Urban ecotourism: A contradiction in terms? Journal of Ecotourism, 1(1), 36–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Higham, J., & Lück, M. (2007). Ecotourism: Pondering the paradoxes. In J. Higham (Ed.), Critical issues in ecotourism: Understanding a complex tourism phenomenon (pp. 117–136). Oxford: Elsevier.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Hudman, L. E. (1978). Tourism impacts: The need for regional planning. Annals of Tourism Research, 5(1), 112–125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Isaacs, J. (2000). The limited potential of ecotourism to contribute to wildlife conservation. Wildlife Society Bulletin, 28(1), 61–69.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jamal, T., Borges, M., & Stronza, A. (2006). The institutionalisation of ecotourism: Certification, cultural equity and praxis. Journal of Ecotourism, 5(3), 145–175.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Järviluoma, J. (1992). Alternative tourism and the evolution of tourist areas. Tourism Management, 13(1), 118–120.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jones, S. (2005). Community based ecotourism: The Significance of Social Capital. Annals of Tourism Research, 32(2), 303–324.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joyner, B. E., & Payne, D. (2002). Evolution and implementation: A study of values, business ethics and corporate social responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics, 41(4), 297–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Judy, L. H., Randall, S. U., & Fevzi, O. (2007). Corporate social responsibility: What are top hotel companies reporting? International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, 19(6), 461–475.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Karwacki, J., & Boyd, C. (1995). Ethics and ecotourism. Business Ethics: A European Review, 4(4), 225–232.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Katsikis, I. N., & Kyrgidou, L. P. (2007). The concept of sustinable entrepreneurship: A conceptual framework and empirical analysis. Paper Presented at the Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kirzner, I. M. (1973). Competition and entrepreneurship. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kiss, A. (2004). Is community-based ecotourism a good use of biodiversity conservation funds? Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 19(5), 232–237.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kontogeorgopoulos, N. (2005). Community-based ecotourism in Phuket and Ao Phangnga, Thailand: Partial victories and bittersweet remedies. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 13(1), 4–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krüger, O. (2005). The role of ecotourism in conservation: Panacea or Pandora’s box? Biodiversity and Conservation, 14(3), 579–600.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lai, P.-H., & Nepal, S. K. (2006). Local perspectives of ecotourism development in Tawushan nature reserve, Taiwan. Tourism Management, 27(6), 1117–1129.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laufer, W. (2003). Social accountability and corporate greenwashing. Journal of Business Ethics, 43(3), 253–261.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Laverack, G., & Thangphet, S. (2009). Building community capacity for locally managed ecotourism in Northern Thailand. Community Development Journal, 44(2), 172–185.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lawrence, T., Phillips, N., & Tracy, P. (2012). From the guest editors: Educating social entrepreneurs and social innovators. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 11(3), 319–323.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mair, J., & Marti, I. (2006). Social entrepreneurship research: A source of explanation, prediction, and delight. Journal of World Business, 41(1), 36–44.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marshall, A. (2009). The principles of economics (8th ed.). New York: Cosimo Classics.

    Google Scholar 

  • McKercher, B., & Robbins, B. (1998). Business development issues affecting nature-based tourism operators in Australia. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 6(2), 173–188.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McLaren, D. (2003). Rethinking tourism and ecotravel (2nd ed.). Bloomfield: Kumanan Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Medina, L. K. (2005). Ecotourism and certification: Confronting the principles and pragmatics of socially responsible tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 13(3), 281–295.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore, S., & Carter, B. (1993). Ecotourism in the 21st century. Tourism Management, 14(2), 123–130.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Parker, S., & Khare, A. (2005). Understanding success factors for ensuring sustainability in ecotourism development in Southern Africa. Journal of Ecotourism, 4(1), 32–46.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pauline, J. S., & Sun-Young, P. (2010). An exploratory study of corporate social responsibility in the U.S. Travel Industry. Journal of Travel Research, 50(4), 392–407.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peredo, A. M., & McLean, M. (2006). Social entrepreneurship: A critical review of the concept. Journal of World Business, 41(1), 56–65.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Powell, R. B., & Ham, S. H. (2008). Can ecotourism interpretation really lead to pro-conservation knowledge, attitudes and behaviour? Evidence from the Galapagos Islands. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 16(4), 467–489.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reimer, J. K., & Walter, P. (2013). How do you know it when you see it? Community-based ecotourism in the Cardamom Mountains of southwestern Cambodia. Tourism Management, 34(1), 122–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rodgers, C. (2010). Sustainable entrepreneurship in SMEs: A case study analysis. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 17(3), 125–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sarkar, R., & Sinha, A. (2015). The village as a social entrepreneur: Balancing conservation and livelihoods. Tourism Management Perspectives, 16, 100–106.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scheyvens, R. (1999). Ecotourism and the empowerment of local communities. Tourism Management, 20(2), 245–249.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schumpeter, J. A. (1912). The theory of economic development. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd, D. A., & Patzelt, H. (2011). The new field of sustainable entrepreneurship: Studying entrepreneurial action linking “What is to be sustained” with “What is to be developed”. Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice, 35(1), 137–163.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sirakaya, E. (1997). Attitudinal compliance with ecotourism guidelines. Annals of Tourism Research, 24(4), 919–950.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stone, M., & Wall, G. (2004). Ecotourism and community development: Case studies from Hainan, China. Environmental Management, 33(1), 12–24.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stronza, A., & Gordillo, J. (2008). Community views of ecotourism. Annals of Tourism Research, 35(2), 448–468.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swan, C. (2018). Entrepreneurial behaviour in ecotourism: A study of business intention, start-up and operation. PhD thesis, Monash Univeristy.

    Google Scholar 

  • Swan, C. D., & Morgan, D. (2016). Who wants to be an eco-entrepreneur? Identifying entrepreneurial types and practices in ecotourism businesses. The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, 17(2), 120–132.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thurik, R., & Wennekers, S. (2004). Entrepreneurship, small business and economic growth. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 11(1), 140–149.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tracey, P., & Phillips, N. (2007). The distinctive challenge of educating social entrepreneurs: A postscript and rejoinder to the special issue on entrepreneurship education. Academy of Management Learning & Education, 6(2), 264–271.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valentine, P. S. (1993). Ecotourism and nature conservation: A definition with some recent developments in Micronesia. Tourism Management, 14(2), 107–115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Visser, W. (2010). The age of responsibility: CSR 2.0 and the new DNA of business. Journal of Business Systems, Governance and Ethics, 5(3), 7–22.

    Google Scholar 

  • Visser, W. (2012). Corporate sustainability & responsibility: An introductory text on CSR theory & practice-past, present & future. London: Kaleidoscope Futures.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, M., & Schaltegger, S. (2010). Classifying entrepreneurship for the public good: Empirical analysis of a conceptual framework. Journal of Small Business and Entrepreneurship, 23(3), 431–443.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Weaver, D. B., & Lawton, L. J. (2007). Twenty years on: The state of contemporary ecotourism research. Tourism Management, 28(5), 1168–1179.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wheeller, B. (1991). Tourism’s troubled times: Responsible tourism is not the answer. Tourism Management, 12(2), 91–96.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wight, P. (2007). Ecotourism, CSR, and the fourth dimension of sustainability. In J. Higham (Ed.), Critical issues in ecotourism: Understanding a complex tourism phenomenon (pp. 214–239). Oxford: Elsevier.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Our common future. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wunder, S. (2000). Ecotourism and economic incentives—An empirical approach. Ecological Economics, 32(3), 465–479.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Young, E. H. (1999). Balancing conservation with development in small-scale fisheries: Is ecotourism an empty promise? Human Ecology, 27(4), 581–620.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Didasko in Partnership with La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia

    Christopher Swan

  2. Federation University Australia, Churchill, Australia

    Damian Morgan

Authors
  1. Christopher Swan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Damian Morgan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Christopher Swan .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Tourism and Service Management, MODUL University Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    Dagmar Lund-Durlacher

  2. School of Government, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand

    Valentina Dinica

  3. Rhine-Waal University of Applied Sciences, Kleve, Germany

    Dirk Reiser

  4. Department of Business and Economics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erlangen, Germany

    Matthias S. Fifka

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2019 Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Swan, C., Morgan, D. (2019). Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility in Ecotourism: Entrepreneurial Motivation Enacted Through Sustainability Objectives. In: Lund-Durlacher, D., Dinica, V., Reiser, D., Fifka, M. (eds) Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility in Tourism. CSR, Sustainability, Ethics & Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-15624-4_13

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation