Entrepreneurial Inclination: South African Youth's Mental Attitude towards starting Tourism Business

Abstract

This study assessed the tourism entrepreneurial intention of South African youth, and the mental attitude of those who have this intention. It used questionnaire survey to gather data from 207 youth resident in Mtubatuba Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal Province of South Africa, to address the study objectives. Data analyses reveal that a significant percentage of the youth have tourism entrepreneurial intention. Those who perceive themselves as entrepreneurial individuals and willing to start tourism businesses in the future exhibit some distinct mindset. This mental attitude depicts these individuals to be innovative, transformational, risk takers, persistence, strong-minded, visionary, optimistic, and goal-getters. The South African Government, through its Department of Labour, need to optimize its strategic and operational plans to support these entrepreneurial youth in acquiring business education and entrepreneurial skills, to empower them realise their dreams of starting and managing their own businesses. This will help curb the high rate of unemployment in South Africa, especially among the youth.

Entrepreneurial Attributes and Entrepreneurial Intention among Hospitality Students in Malaysian Higher Education Institutions: An Educational Approach

“…As a result, entrepreneurship has emerged as the most important factor that allows businesses to gain a competitive advantage and stand out from the crowd (Taskiran & Iyigun, 2019). Today, entrepreneurship is a key driver of a country's socioeconomic success (Ezeuduji & Ntshangase, 2017). Thus, entrepreneurship research has been increasingly highlighted as a means of breaking the cycle of poverty and unemployment that is prevalent in developing economies.…”