Entrepreneurial Intentions of Tourism and Hospitality Graduates: An Application of the Entrepreneurial Event Model

Abstract

Ghana’s unemployment rate now stands at 14.7%, and entrepreneurship is seen as a solution to the growing graduate unemployment problem. This study therefore examines the entrepreneurial intentions of tourism and hospitality (T&H) graduates in Ghana, using data from 941 graduates. Quantitative methodology was employed for this study, and the data collection was done using snowball sampling. Using questionnaires, the data were collected between February and April 2023 from T&H graduates. The partial least-squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to test seven hypotheses. The findings show that propensity to act, innovativeness, self-efficacy, and opportunities created by the COVID-19 pandemic significantly influence graduates’ entrepreneurial intentions. However, they do not see entrepreneurship as a feasible career option. To increase the entrepreneurship intentions of T&H graduates, the study recommends, among others, that universities should teach soft skills like opportunity recognition, business development, and problem-solving through mentorship seminars and pitching activities. Also, graduates should be encouraged to form partnerships to access funding from government initiatives like YouStart and National Entrepreneurship and Innovation programmes.