Business Model Innovation for Sustainable Multifunctional Land Management in Abandoned Rural Areas: A Case Study

Abstract

The issue of the future of abandoned agricultural land has become a prominent topic of discussion in contemporary scientific research and political discourses, especially considering the unique contribution of new-generation entrepreneurs to innovations in rural areas. The research increasingly provides evidence of how they serve as founders and catalysts of unconventional and often audacious ideas that ultimately transform abandoned areas into successful sustainable innovative business models with restored multifunctional land use. The main aim of this article is to disclose the potential of innovative business models, developed by new-generation entrepreneurs, for sustainable multifunctional land management in abandoned rural places, through the example of the “Sun Circle Camping” initiative in Lithuania. A qualitative research methodology was applied to perform an in-depth case study of a successful business model innovation for sustainable multifunctional land management in an abandoned rural area of Lithuania. The research results demonstrate how the smartly restored multifunctional distribution of abandoned land might generate durable land management practices, fulfilling the environmental, socio-cultural, and economic pillars of sustainability.