Key drivers of success of frontline women entrepreneurs : evidence from travel agencies in Suez canal and Sinai region

Abstract EN

Given that recent empirical studies have ignored the pivotal role of women entrepreneurs in the tourism industry, an in-depth investigation of how these entrepreneurs succeed in this vital industry may be on the research agenda.

As a result, this paper seeks to examine how women entrepreneurs in frontline travel agencies are successful through government policies, community engagement, and education/skill development as key drivers for achieving this success.

Using an online survey prepared via the Microsoft Form platform, 396 women supervisors working in the frontoffice department within 38 travel agencies located in Suez Canal and Sinai region responded.

Data were coded using SPSS v.28 and analyzed using SmartPLS v.4.

Findings revealed that government policies and education/skill development positively affected community engagement and success of women entrepreneurs.

Besides, community engagement positively affected the success of women entrepreneurs at these agencies.

Furthermore, community engagement partially mediated the indirect associations between the success of frontline women entrepreneurs and both government policies and education/skill development.

This paper is the first empirical study of women entrepreneurship within travel agencies in Egypt due to their vital role in community participation and the enhancement of strategic management practices within these agencies.