Connecting Sustainable Livelihoods and Conservation via Homestay Tourism in Ghanaian Protected Sites: A Social Entrepreneurship Perspective

ABSTRACT Sustainable tourism increasingly seeks models that align community livelihoods with biodiversity conservation. Yet, the integration of social entrepreneurship (SE) within community‐based homestays remains underexplored. This study examines homestay enterprises in three Ghanaian protected and conservation‐designated sites, Nzulezu Village on Stilts, Boabeng–Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, and Mole National Park, to assess whether they operate as SE models within the nexus of community livelihoods and biodiversity conservation. This qualitative study is based on 57 semistructured interviews conducted with homestay operators. Findings identify interconnected themes driving sustainability: a layered social mission, community‐oriented social value, entrepreneurial adaptability, participatory governance, service innovation that enhances host–guest experiences, commitment to sustainability, strengthened social capital for resource mobilization, and greater replicability potential. These dynamics coalesce into a grounded “shared value” approach to SE, enabling inclusive and conservation‐compatible tourism. The study fills a theoretical research gap by identifying nuances of SE and extending the shared value framework to conservation contexts. It offers policymakers and practitioners pathways to advance conservation and livelihood priorities in protected sites through homestays grounded in SE principles.