Balancing Sustainability and Entrepreneurship in Sabah's Dark Tourism

Abstract

The study titled "Balancing Sustainability & Entrepreneurship in Sabah Dark Tourism" investigates the factors influencing entrepreneurial intention among Sabah's dark tourism operators. It utilizes a theoretical framework that combines the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the Resource-based View (RBV), and Stakeholder Theory. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 193 validated respondents, and the data was analyzed using PLS-SEM (SmartPLS). The results revealed that while a positive attitude toward self-employment and a propensity to innovate positively affect entrepreneurial intention, sustainability orientation surprisingly has a negative impact. This suggests that challenges such as regulatory hurdles and high operational costs associated with sustainable practices may hinder the entrepreneurial drive. The research provides recommendations for policymakers to create a more supportive environment that fosters sustainable and innovative dark tourism enterprises in Sabah.