SMEs in tourism: an international review

The aim of this ATLAS Special Interest Group (SIG) is to contribute to the development of a more consolidated body of knowledge as regards small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in tourism and to provide a strong foundation on which to build future research. This report presents the findings from the first project that the SIG has undertaken. The project aims were modest. In the interests of providing a foundation for future collaboration, SIG members were invited to provide a brief introductory profile of tourism SMEs in various national contexts. Thus, academic colleagues produced studies of nine countries (Australia, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) and summarised their findings within the following framework.