Exploring conceptual framework of tourism SMEs performance in heritage sites - Theory and Practice in Hospitality and Tourism Research - page 312

4 CONCLUSION

This study exhibits the relationship between factors
associated with tourism SMEs performance. While
developing this part of tourism SMEs concept,
tourism approach is particularly useful in relation
to three aspects: owner manager characteristics,
business practice characteristics and networking, as
well as an effort to determine the factors that may
contribute to the performance. The concept of tour-
ism SMEs performance is quite limited, because less
research has been done specifically in literature, the-
ory, and framework, leaving a gap in the knowledge
of researchers. Therefore, through this study was a
preliminary study, the factors which are discussed in
this study contributed to the formation of conceptual
framework of tourism SMEs performance with the
relationship between three mentioned aspects. Thus,
discussion with regard to this study will encourage
more study on tourism SMEs performance concept
in heritage sites as well as enable business managers
and entrepreneurs to manage heritage sites in devel-
oping countries such as Malaysia, in particular in
Lenggong Valley. The implications are to provide
a general overview of SMEs business and tourism
performance concept that can be used by SMEs
owner-managers, policymakers, government agen-
cies and other stakeholders that are closely assisting
the tourism SMEs in a heritage site.

Figure 1. Proposed conceptual framework of the
study.

tourism contributes employment opportunities and
a chance for the community to engage in an entre-
preneurial activity such as manufacturing, agricul-
tural, service and construction-related businesses.
However, the ability of the tourism to generate
employment creation and entrepreneurship develop-
ment is essentially reliant on a number of variables
included the nature and location of the tourism
project, the size and source of investment, the pol-
icy intentions (if any) associated to the investment
and the level of support accessible to entrepreneurs
(Kirsten & Rogerson, 2002). In developing a nations,
tourism's economic purposes of increasing earnings,
investment, foreign exchange, creating job opportu-
nities, and also reducing adverse social and cultural
consequences are best promoted through enhancing
micro and small enterprises (Wanhill, 2000). Besides,
in order for tourism to be advantageous in terms
of economic development, income earning, pov-
erty diminution, and improving rural livelihoods, it
should be associated with local economies activities
such as agriculture and micro and small scale enter-
prises (Mshenga & Owuor, 2009).
The mutual significance between tourism and
SMEs activities explained that tourism and SMEs
activities are at the same time benefit each other.
Consequently, it is necessary to measure the per-
formance of tourism SMEs in Lenggong Valley, in
the attempt to promote the heritage site as a com-
petitive world tourism destination.
Therefore, the proposed conceptual framework
of tourism SMEs performance will be measured
by three important variables of owner manager
characteristics, business characteristics and net-
working. Figure 1 shows the relation between these
variables to establish the conceptual framework of
this study.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The authors would like to extend their appreciation
to the Universiti Sains Malaysia for the research
grant entitled (Heritage Awareness and Interpre-
tation) [Grant No 1001/PTS/8660012] that makes
this presentation possible.

REFERENCES

Ahmad, G. (2005). Small firm owners-managers net-
works in tourism and hospitality. International Journal
of Business and Society, 6 (2), 37-54.
Alasadi, R. & Abdelrahim, A. (2007). Critical analysis
and modeling of small business performance (case
study: Syria). Journal of Asia Entrepreneurship and
Sustainability, 3 (2).
Archaeological Institute of America. (2007). A guide to
best practices for archaeological tourism. Los Angeles:
The Getty Conservation Institute. Retrieved January
12, 2012, from http://www.archaeological.org/pdfs/
AIATourismGuidelines.pdf
Bates, T. (1990). Entrepreneur human capital inputs and
small business longevity. The review of Economics and
Statistics , 551-559.
Blackwood, T. & Mowl, G. (2000). Expatriate-owned
small businesses: measuring and accounting for success.
International Small Business Journal, 18 (3), 60-73.