An Analysis of Entrepreneurial Intention of Tourism and Hospitality Undergraduates in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Entrepreneurship development is one of the most significant factors in the economic development of a country. However, when compared to other countries in Asia, Sri Lanka reports a low entrepreneurial rate. Thus, this study's primary focus is to analyze the tourism undergraduates' entrepreneurial intention and the challenges faced by the undergraduates to start a business. To achieve the objectives, both quantitative and qualitative approaches have been adapted. The population of the study comprises all the tourism undergraduates in state universities of Sri Lanka. A sample of 166 tourism undergraduates has been surveyed. The findings indicate that the tourism undergraduates have a moderate level of intention to start their own business and perceived feasibility and perceived desirability significantly influence their entrepreneurial intention. Tourism undergraduates perceive financial difficulty as the major challenge to start a business. Implications for educators and governmental bodies and future research directions are highlighted.