This qualitative study looks at host-guest interaction facilitated by the phenomenon of tourism social entrepreneurship through the lens of emotional solidarity. Social entrepreneurship is arguably the social innovation that tourism needs and has become an alternative strategy to develop tourism in host communities with the potential to create positive community change. However, the literature on combining sharing  economy, social or community entrepreneurship and emotional solidarity is scarce. Therefore, this study analyses host-guest interactions facilitated through the socialstart-up socialbnb. Findings from this study indicate that there are at least two crucial criteria forsustainable tourism development and positive community change. First, social entrepreneurship should create and facilitate tourism structures and networks, which avoid the negative impacts of tourism to the residents and instead create social,ecological, and economic benefits for the local community. Perhaps, focusing on theneeds of the local community and creating beneficial host-guest relationships is themost effective way to promote tourism development that is supported by residents.Thus, social entrepreneurship should not only act as a facilitator between guests and the local community but also consider the residents’ attitudes towards tourism development and the actual economic need for tourism in the destination, especially in the Global South.

This thesis adopts critical feminist theory, which is a combination of both critical theory and feminist theory, to explore the nature and experiences of Omani women involved in tourism entrepreneurship with particular regard to empowerment. Several studies have identified the potential role of tourism entrepreneurship to empower women due to the many benefits that it provides. However, this potential, and the extent that it empowers women, has been questioned. A review of the literature on women in tourism entrepreneurship reveals that there are several issues that have theoretical and practical implications for women's empowerment through this activity. Furthermore, a review of the development studies literature indicates that there are many prevailing issues and debates surrounding the concept of women's empowerment thatmerit further investigation. The fieldwork for this research took place in Oman during 2013-­‐2014 and included an examination of a hosting group, sewing group and a number of women tourism entrepreneurs. Participant observations and semi-structured/unstructured interviews were conducted to collect information about these women. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the collected information and to develop three ethnographic case studies. The findings of this research reveal that tourism entrepreneurship does not inevitably bring about empowerment for Omani women. It is far from being an activity for women's individual and collective empowerment, given that the scope for such remains dependent on the embedded environment and is influenced by the nature of tourism enterprise work. An empirically informed conceptual framework was developed from the data to present this phenomenon. A grounded conceptualization was also developed from the data to conceptualize the process of women's empowerment for Omani women in tourism entrepreneurship. Theoretical implications of the findings areidentified in relation to the appropriate use of the concept of women's empowerment in tourism research. Practical implications of the findings are also identified in relation to local and international tourism organisations that utilises tourism entrepreneurship opportunities for women's empowerment purposes.

South Africa the development of small tourism businesses are extremely vital for job creation and a development of a new economy. The South African tourism industry has to look at more innovative ways for marketing their products and services to develop the small tourism businesses. The arrival of web 2.0 led to the development and evolution of web-based communities, hosted services and web applications such as social networking sites. Social networking sites have encouraged new ways to communicate and share information on the web. When it comes to online networking, websites are commonly used. These websites are known as social networking sites and function as online communities on the internet. Social networking sites are currently one of the applications of Web 4.0 developments. This means creation by the majority and web participation a necessity. The importance of customer engagement enablement is recognised. Operating systems are in cloud-computing. The communication medium became social media systems and people sell everything via desktop, mobile, tablets and iTV. This study focuses on the Eastern Free State tourism destination and its development through social networks. The main aim of the study is to critically analyse the application and effective utilisation of social network site technologies within the Eastern Free State tourism industry and to explore this objective of social network applications used within the small businesses in Eastern Free State tourism industry. The empirical study was conducted by means of a field study using a structured questionnaire and interviews with key stakeholders. Data from 60 small tourism businesses were collected and a total of 55 businesses restricted to Eastern Free State Drakensberg were analysed in the process of collecting the peer-aided questionnaires. The biggest problems in the use of digital media are knowledge to develop a proper product that has measured marketing outcomes for the small business. / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

South Africa the development of small tourism businesses are extremely vital for job creation and a development of a new economy. The South African tourism industry has to look at more innovative ways for marketing their products and services to develop the small tourism businesses. The arrival of web 2.0 led to the development and evolution of web-based communities, hosted services and web applications such as social networking sites. Social networking sites have encouraged new ways to communicate and share information on the web. When it comes to online networking, websites are commonly used. These websites are known as social networking sites and function as online communities on the internet. Social networking sites are currently one of the applications of Web 4.0 developments. This means creation by the majority and web participation a necessity. The importance of customer engagement enablement is recognised. Operating systems are in cloud-computing. The communication medium became social media systems and people sell everything via desktop, mobile, tablets and iTV. This study focuses on the Eastern Free State tourism destination and its development through social networks. The main aim of the study is to critically analyse the application and effective utilisation of social network site technologies within the Eastern Free State tourism industry and to explore this objective of social network applications used within the small businesses in Eastern Free State tourism industry. The empirical study was conducted by means of a field study using a structured questionnaire and interviews with key stakeholders. Data from 60 small tourism businesses were collected and a total of 55 businesses restricted to Eastern Free State Drakensberg were analysed in the process of collecting the peer-aided questionnaires. The biggest problems in the use of digital media are knowledge to develop a proper product that has measured marketing outcomes for the small business. / Thesis (MBA)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.