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May 31, 2026Business Strategy and the Environment0 citations

Connecting Sustainable Livelihoods and Conservation via Homestay Tourism in Ghanaian Protected Sites: A Social Entrepreneurship Perspective

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BKBirendra KCRKReynolds KusiAMAnte Mandić

Key Points

  • This study aims to investigate how homestay enterprises in Ghanaian protected sites function as social entrepreneurship models that support community livelihoods while promoting biodiversity conservation.
  • Conducted 57 semistructured interviews with homestay operators in three protected sites in Ghana.
  • Examined interconnected themes related to sustainability and social entrepreneurship.
  • Identified the impact of community-oriented social value and participatory governance on tourism.
  • Findings revealed a layered social mission among homestay operators that enhances community involvement.
  • Operational practices showed strong commitment to sustainability, fostering social capital for resource mobilization.
  • The study proposed a 'shared value' approach that promotes inclusive tourism and aligns conservation goals with local livelihoods.

Abstract

ABSTRACT Sustainable tourism increasingly seeks models that align community livelihoods with biodiversity conservation. Yet, the integration of social entrepreneurship (SE) within community‐based homestays remains underexplored. This study examines homestay enterprises in three Ghanaian protected and conservation‐designated sites, Nzulezu Village on Stilts, Boabeng–Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, and Mole National Park, to assess whether they operate as SE models within the nexus of community livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. This qualitative study is based on 57 semistructured interviews conducted with homestay operators. Findings identify interconnected themes driving sustainability: a layered social mission, community‐oriented social value, entrepreneurial adaptability, participatory governance, service innovation that enhances host–guest experiences, commitment to sustainability, strengthened social capital for resource mobilization, and greater replicability potential. These dynamics coalesce into a grounded “shared value” approach to SE, enabling inclusive and conservation‐compatible tourism. The study fills a theoretical research gap by identifying nuances of SE and extending the shared value framework to conservation contexts. It offers policymakers and practitioners pathways to advance conservation and livelihood priorities in protected sites through homestays grounded in SE principles.

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Cite This Study

KC et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a1bd0df5783ba022b6fc800https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.71106
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