Abstract:

Drawing on the concept of enterprise growth in economics and management, taking Hongcun as a case study, the study used qualitative research methods such as in-depth interviews and non-participation observation to analyze the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the growth of small tourism enterprises and its influencing factors. The findings of the study are as follows: 1) After nearly 40 years of development, Hongcun small tourism enterprises have witnessed a sharp increase in the number of enterprises and employees, a gradual enrichment of enterprise types and products, an expansion of the overall business scale and business space, and a decline in the growth rate of business profits. At the same time, the management experience and innovative development ability of small tourism entrepreneurs have continuously improved, the hardware and software services of enterprises have become more standardized and humanized, the old brand of enterprises has continued, new brands have been produced, and the characteristics of enterprise agglomeration have been remarkable, all of which has produced a greater agglomeration economic effect. On the whole, Hongcun small tourism enterprises are in the process of continuous optimization of quantity growth and quality improvement, and are realizing their sustainable growth in tourism destinations. 2) Tourism market environment, scenic area management systems, entrepreneurship, local traditional culture, enterprise growth strategy, and enterprise competition and cooperation interaction have jointly promoted the establishment and growth of Hongcun small tourism enterprises. The rapid growth in the number of tourists and tourism demand in Hongcun, the management and construction of scenic spots by tourism companies and local governments, the initiation and imitation of innovative spirit by local entrepreneurs, the individual characteristics of endemic entrepreneurs, and the spirit of reform and innovation all directly or indirectly promote the growth of small tourism enterprises. Traditional Huizhou merchant culture, clan culture, and neighborhood culture are the social and cultural support for the growth of small tourism enterprises and they strengthen the stability of small tourism enterprises in the growth process as well as their ability to resist external risks. The growth strategies of enterprises, such as imitating innovation, chain expansion, and group development, have promoted the integration, diversification, and joint growth of small tourism enterprises. At the same time, the homogeneous competition of low-level products promotes the higher-level qualitative growth of small tourism enterprises. The cooperation and exchange among multi-group small tourism entrepreneurs strengthens information exchange and resource sharing among enterprises, and greatly promotes the growth of small tourism enterprises. Finally, further research directions are pointed out: A case study on the agglomeration of small tourism enterprises with different regional cultural traditions and different business entities could be conducted. This study probes into the characteristics and influencing factors of small tourism enterprises in different growth stages and encourages continuous follow-up study focusing on the growth quality, policy environment, and enterprise cooperation of small tourism enterprises.

Key words: small tourism enterprises, enterprise growth, tourism market environment, enterprise growth strategy, Hongcun Village