Cultural interpretations and influences on responsible tourism and hospitality micropreneurship in Brunei

This research aims to address the knowledge gap in terms of cultural interpretations and influences within the context of Brunei tourism operators involved in a range of community-based, ecotourism and heritage experience. This study occurs in response to wider calls for research to elucidate a more nuanced understanding of responsible tourism and hospitality business operations, especially in a non-Western setting. This research employs a collaborative ethnography approach to investigate five tourism operators in Brunei as case studies for the intended research aims. The findings revealed that the motivations for their micropreneurial undertaking were influenced by the general desire to enhance the quality of life for local communities, empower women and the youth to develop a greater place identity and to engage other volunteer tourists and not-for-profit organisations to support social capital development. This research provides much-needed insights to guide responsible tourism and hospitality theory and practice in existing and future environments. This extends current knowledge of the cultural lens afforded to responsible tourism and hospitality within micropreneurial spaces.