Multidimensional Analysis of Barriers to Rural Tourism Entrepreneurship Development: The Case of Ardal and Kuhrang Counties, Iran

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Business Creation, Faculty of Entrepreneurship, university of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Business Creation, Faculty of Entrepreneurship, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Geography and Rural Planning, Faculty of Geographical Sciences and Planning, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

Objective: Given the critical role of tourism entrepreneurship in empowering local communities in rural areas, this form of entrepreneurship has increasingly drawn the attention of policymakers, researchers, and tourism stakeholders as a promising avenue for diversifying rural economies. Nevertheless, the development of rural tourism entrepreneurship remains constrained by a range of challenges. This study aims to systematically identify and analyze the key barriers to tourism entrepreneurship development in the rural areas of Ardal and Kuhrang counties, located in Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari Province, Iran. The study focuses on examining and prioritizing constraints across five core dimensions: infrastructural, economic-structural, individual, rural poverty and population aging, and the outflow of rural capital to urban centers. The ultimate goal is to provide a strategic foundation for informed regional policy-making and decision-making.

Method: This research is applied in purpose and descriptive-analytical. Data were collected using a researcher-developed questionnaire, the content validity of which was confirmed by experts in tourism entrepreneurship and rural development. The statistical population included potential and active stakeholders in the tourism sector across the two target counties, along with local experts and administrators involved in tourism development. Stratified quota sampling was employed for participant selection. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) using AMOS software was conducted to validate the factor structure of the identified barriers and to prioritize them based on their statistical significance.

Results: The CFA results confirmed the presence of five primary dimensions representing the barriers to rural tourism entrepreneurship development in the study area. Among these, economic-structural barriers emerged as the most critical, with the highest factor loading. Key variables within this dimension included limited access to financial resources, inadequate institutional and policy support, lack of specialized educational infrastructure, and inefficiencies in local governance.

Infrastructural barriers ranked second and were characterized by weaknesses in physical, welfare-related, digital, and public transportation infrastructure in rural areas.

Other significant dimensions included individual-level constraints—such as low entrepreneurial literacy, risk aversion, resistance to technology adoption, and limited collaboration; the outmigration of financial and human capital to urban areas—leading to the depletion of skilled labor and financial resources in rural communities; and rural poverty and aging demographics, which, while less visible, constitute deep-rooted impediments to entrepreneurship development.

Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the development of rural tourism entrepreneurship is a complex, multidimensional process, reliant on policy, institutional, cultural, and economic alignment. Accurate identification and prioritization of these barriers, particularly in naturally endowed but infrastructurally underdeveloped regions, are vital for designing targeted interventions.

Accordingly, it is recommended that rural development policymakers at both local and national levels utilize the findings of this research to: Redesign financial support mechanisms, strengthen educational and digital infrastructure, Curb the outmigration of human capital, and culturally empower rural residents to actively engage in tourism-related businesses.

Furthermore, the formulation of regional development programs grounded in sustainability indicators, regional equity, and the inclusion of women and rural youth could provide a more robust foundation for fostering tourism entrepreneurship in the target areas.

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References

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Journal of Entrepreneurship Development
Volume 18, Issue 4
October 2025
Pages 112-131

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