Sour grapes or strategic choice? Socially disadvantaged tourism entrepreneurs' pursuit of ‘break out’

Abstract

While structural conditions impacting immigrant entrepreneurs' ‘break out’ are well-documented in tourism research, the underlying psychological processes remain underexplored. Informed by self-determination theory and adaptive preferences, this ethnographic study conducted between December 2024 and May 2025 explores how socially disadvantaged immigrant tourism entrepreneurs negotiate structural constraints and individual agency while pursuing ‘break out’. Drawing on 345 h of ethnographic observation, digital data from two focal Nepali tourism entrepreneurs in Hong Kong SAR, and longitudinal object-oriented interviews with nineteen stakeholders, it reveals a psychological mechanism where frustration of basic psychological needs triggers adaptive preferences, hindering ‘break out’ efforts. It also shows how tourism's experiential nature enables entrepreneurs to counter stigma and negotiate autonomy. Practically, the findings highlight the need for psychologically informed support that goes beyond traditional skill-based training. While focused on Hong Kong's Nepali diaspora, the study offers broader insights into entrepreneurial ‘break out’ among socially disadvantaged immigrant tourism entrepreneurs.