Fatma İnce - Mersin University, Mersin, Turkey

Entrepreneur gathers production factors by taking risk; he carries out the activities hoping that the company will exist forever. However, the sustainability of the company depends on many factors such as the characteristics of the sector, the economic conjuncture, political and social structure.From this viewpoint, it is aimed to explore entrepreneurs’ perceptions of sustainable future in this study. Second aim is to examine the effects of various variables on these perceptions via qualitative and quantitative research methods. The structured interview with entrepreneurs, who has a hospitality company, support of the sector is seen as a critical factor for sustainability. So, the survey about support is used in the second part of the research. Also, some items, which are about negative and positive impact of sector and belief of development, take part in the survey for factors of staying the same sector. Data are collected 61 accessible entrepreneurs who have their own hospitality companies with complete inventory method. There are 82 municipally approved companies in Maiden’s Castle, Mersin.According to the results, entrepreneurs think that sustainable future affect employment (R square:0,412). This perception changes according to the education level (F:3,822; p:0,008). Also, positive impact of tourism such as economic and political benefit (R square: 0,345) and belief of tourism development (R square:0,271) affect the perceptions of support for tourism (p<0,05). Thus, this research is important because it emphasizes sustainability and handles entrepreneurs who work in tourism sector in different ways.

Entrepreneur, sustainability, tourism, support