SUSTAINABILITY AND OPEN INNOVATION IN RURAL TOURISM: BASIS FOR A UNIVERSITY EXTENSION PROGRAM

Annie Leah Roxann   L. Emata,

SUSTAINABILITY AND OPEN INNOVATION IN RURAL TOURISM: BASIS FOR A UNIVERSITY EXTENSION PROGRAM

Abstract:

Rural tourism is among the fastest-growing sectors, and a study of the relevant literature indicates that tourism makes a significant contribution that is beneficial to rural areas. Nevertheless, the increase of rural tourism enterprises, on the other hand, may have several negative consequences if it is not planned properly. The university’s role in guaranteeing the sustainability of rural tourism is well recognized, as is the importance of the collaboration with stakeholders developing rural tourism. This study determined the level of sustainability of rural tourism enterprises and their readiness for open innovation as a basis in the university extension program. The scope of this study is limited to the selected rural areas in the province and only those areas that have a good tourism potential during the conduct of the study. Further, descriptive correlational approach was utilized to examine the relationship between the level of sustainability and level of readiness in open innovation of the rural tourism enterprises in the province of Bukidnon. The study revealed that there was a low level of sustainability practices and readiness in open innovation among the rural tourism enterprises. In addition, a high positive correlation between the sustainability and open innovation. Hence, the greater the level of sustainability practices, the more the rural tourism enterprises engaged in open innovation. Furthermore, the correlation coefficient showed a positive relationship between the two variables. In this context, it disclosed that if the level of sustainability practices is high, then the degree of open innovation readiness is also high. Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between the level of sustainability practices and the rural tourism enterprises’ level of readiness for open innovation. Thus, the employees of rural tourism enterprises that are committed to sustainability practices are more likely to engage in open innovation. Since there are no businessacademic collaboration projects to conduct innovative activities during the conduct of the study, a university extension program is proposed as the means to attain provincial rural tourism sustainability using the open innovation paradigm in collaboration with the stakeholders.