Tourism social enterprises and their contributions to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): empirical evidence from Fiji

Purpose This study aims to examine the potential of tourism social enterprises to contribute to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), as the 2030 deadline approaches. While the public sector plays a central role, private actors such as social enterprises can reconcile economic, social and environmental imbalances. By focusing on Fiji, a small island state heavily reliant on tourism, this research highlights the extent to which tourism social enterprises contribute to sustainable development and identifies how their activities align with the global agenda. This study further considers policy implications for enhancing their enabling environment. Design/methodology/approach This research adopts a qualitative case study approach, using tourism social enterprises in Fiji as the unit of analysis. Data were collected through interviews, document analysis and stakeholder engagement to examine how these enterprises generate impacts aligned with the SDGs. The analysis mapped enterprise activities against the 17 SDGs, identifying areas of contribution and potential gaps. This approach enabled an in-depth understanding of the role of small to medium-sized tourism social enterprises in advancing sustainable development in small island economies. Findings This study demonstrates that tourism social enterprises in Fiji actively contribute to 14 of the 17 SDGs, with particularly strong links to goals related to poverty reduction, gender equality, responsible consumption and climate action. These enterprises combine business models with social and environmental missions, amplifying their developmental impact beyond economic outcomes. The findings also highlight systemic challenges, including limited resources, institutional support gaps and policy fragmentation, which constrain their contributions. Policy interventions and capacity-building initiatives are recommended to strengthen the role of social enterprises in advancing the SDGs. Originality/value This research provides novel insights into the intersection between tourism social enterprises and the SDGs, an underexplored area in both tourism and sustainability scholarship. By situating the analysis in Fiji, this study adds value to understanding sustainable development in small island developing states, where tourism is a primary economic driver. The findings offer practical implications for policymakers, emphasizing the importance of creating enabling conditions that foster the growth and impact of social enterprises. This study thus advances both theoretical and applied discussions on sustainable tourism and social entrepreneurship.