Tourism Entrepreneurship and Family Firms (Touref) (2020-2024)

At Jökulsárlón © Íris Hrund Halldórsdóttir

Entrepreneurship and family business are central aspects in the tourism industry. Whether by opportunity and/or necessity, new firms change the status quo in the sector and can bring innovation and differentiation to the industry, apart from becoming an alternative for residents’ rent generation. Many of the firms created in the tourism sector involve the family in their ownership and functioning, and these family firms can generate unique resources and capabilities but also face challenges that need to be studied.

With the aim of exploring situations, dynamics and challenges of entrepreneurship and family firms in the tourism sector, this research group and network addressed strategic topics for the industry from a rigorous and analytical perspective. Increasing and diffusing knowledge about tourism entrepreneurship and family businesses lies at the heart of this initiative.

 

Activity track

  • ITRC was (2020-2023) participating in Erasmus+ project on crisis in SME´s in tourism.
  • In 2024, the book Tourism Entrepreneurship: Knowledge and Challenges for a Sustainable Future was published by Springer Palgrave. The book explores entrepreneurship in tourism and its connection to sustainable development, its meaning, and various manifestations. The central theme is the role of knowledge in addressing the challenges faced by tourism entrepreneurs and how it contributes to a sustainable future. The book was edited by Desiderio J. García Almeida from the University of Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, Gunnar Þór Jóhannesson, professor of tourism studies at the University of Iceland, Þórhallur Örn Guðlaugsson, professor of business studies at the University of Iceland and Guðrún Þóra Gunnarsdóttir, director of the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre. In addition to the introduction, the book contains ten chapters authored by researchers from various countries, including Icelandic scholars affiliated with the University of Iceland, Hólar University and the Icelandic Tourism Research Centre (RMF).

 

Group leader was Desiderio J. García Almeida [dj.garcia @ ulpgc.es], University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.

Íris Hrund Halldórsdóttir was the group's secretary.

List of research group members can be viewed here