A Pathway to Sustainable Agritourism: An Integration of Entrepreneurial Self-Efficacy and Resource Dependence Theories

Agritourism has grown significantly worldwide in recent years, even during the COVID-19 pandemic when faced with various challenges. To understand the reasons behind the rapid growth and be better prepared for future crises, this study interviewed 22 agritourism businesses in Texas (USA) regarding the influence of the pandemic and their adaptation strategies. Results indicated that COVID accentuated the entrepreneurial self-efficacy of agritourism business owners, which is key to their growth during the pandemic while highlighting the resource-dependent nature of agritourism businesses. Despite lacking governmental policy support at all levels, agritourism businesses thrived during the pandemic through their creative adaptations. This study provides valuable implications for sustainable agritourism development.