Entrepreneurship and sustainable tourism: The houseboats of Kerala

Within developing countries, it has been identified that one means of achieving sustainable tourism is through the effective engagement of local communities. In particular, this involves the encouragement of indigenous entrepreneurship, often in the forms of self-employment and small-scale enterprises. The aim is to maximize potential economic and social benefits of tourism development within the host destinations. Indigenous entrepreneurship in the operators of a houseboat tourism product in the state of Kerala, India, is discussed. Conclusions are drawn relative to the sustainability of both the product and indigenous entrepreneurial activity.