An exploratory study of small accommodation-based tourism firms in Australia

Abstract

This paper seeks to identify the existence and nature of small accommodation based tourism firms in Far North Queensland, Australia. In this study, a telephone interview was conducted with 51 owner/entrepreneurs in Far North Queensland Australia. Questions were based on an aggregated set of lifestyle firm markers grounded in the earlier works of other researchers in the field. Owners of small accommodation-based tourism firms operating in Far North Queensland Australia do not subscribe to the orthodox or commonly accepted notion of entrepreneurship. Instead of a focus on profit and growth, other issues collectively known as 'lifestyle' factors chiefly motivate these individuals. Additionally, the provision of government and tourism agency training was found to be inconvenient and thus under-utilised. The findings of this study are likely to make a useful contribution to the small existing body of knowledge, given the likely overall cumulative impact of individual studies about lifestyle firms.