Uneven entrepreneurial responses to demands for tourism-related services adjacent to three national parks in southern Finland

Abstract

Three different-aged national parks in southern Finland are employed to examine the relationship between responses of entrepreneurs to tourism-related demands for services. The entrepreneurial response to demand was found to be greatest adjacent to the oldest park (Linnansaari) where entrepreneurs have had longest to adjust to demand. The weakest response was found adjacent the youngest national park (Repovesi) where, despite having by far the greatest number of visitors per year, the entrepreneurial adjustment has been weak. The response of entrepreneurs adjacent to Seitseminen National Park fell in between the two. Entrepreneurial attitudes towards business and new ventures were strongest in Linnansaari and weakest in Repovesi, where the majority of entrepreneurs were found to be satisficers, with entrepreneurs in Seitseminen again falling in between.