Abstract
Previous research has shown that the nature based tourism sector is characterized by small scale operations, seasonality in supply and dependence on natural resources. Most nature based tourism businesses are located in rural regions and several studies have reported that managers are often motivated by non-monetary objectives. These businesses are typically based on the managers own interest in certain outdoor recreation activities and/and preferences for rural living environments. As such, they do not have financial ambitions as their main objective, but rather to enable a chosen lifestyle. With these observations in mind, this paper is an extension of previous work on naturebased tourism supply by Lundberg and Fredman where results indicate that the role of money is more complex than previous research suggests. Data from 176 nature-based tourism entrepreneurs in Sweden was collected in three consecutive steps, including qualitative life story interviews, a telephone inquiry and critical incident interviews. Access to natural resources, skilful management and lifestyle were considered as most important among the 26 success items identified, while low profitability, lack of capital, regulations, infrastructure and taxes were given the highest weights among the constraints. Looking specifically at the role of money and monetary objectives, it was obvious that they enter the scene as constraints rather than success factor. For the purpose of this paper, we have re-analyzed the life story interviews (where pro-money opinions are almost completely absent) and suggest that the relationship between nature-based tourism operators and money is not fully understood. The aim is to explore this topic further through the following four propositions: 1. The identity of nature-based entrepreneurs is not compatible with profit and growth 2. Niche markets and limited market knowledge obstruct opportunity for growth 3. Dependence of natural resources put sustainability ahead of growth 4. Nature-based tourism firms have limited control over their production process Elaborating these propositions will provide the nature-based tourism research field with a more nuanced view on business growth and the role of money. They may also provide insights for policymakers how to design successful strategies to support this sector. We also argue that these propositions can serve as a point of departure for further research in the nature-based tourism entrepreneurship, business development and resource management nexus.