Role of female entrepreneurship in initiating ecotourism in Kurşunlu Village

Abstract This study aims to examine women’s entrepreneurial activities within the scope of ecotourism, and the challenges they encounter throughout the entrepreneurial process. For this purpose, qualitative methods were employed within the framework of an embedded single-case study design, and content analysis was applied. Data were collected in June 2024 through a face-to-face interview with Bedriye Berber Engin, the first female entrepreneur in Türkiye to open her village to tourism. Accordingly, the research focused on Kurşunlu Village in Bilecik, Türkiye. The data were analyzed using ATLAS.ti, with all coding processes, code-document matrices, and Sankey diagrams generated through the software. Kurşunlu Village, which hosts both domestic and international tourists throughout the year, provides a noteworthy case for studying women’s entrepreneurship and ecotourism. Findings reveal that women face financial challenges and local prejudices, yet entrepreneurship enables economic their empowerment and positive changes in their social status. This study contributes to the literature on rural women’s entrepreneurship by demonstrating how ecotourism can transform gender roles.