Sustainability myopia in entrepreneur’s personal orientation to sustainable marketing

The UN SDG's 12 goal (target 12.8) call for promoting sustainable patterns lead researchers to explore if entrepreneurs and decision makers are authentically aware of sustainability fundamentals, and to examine their personal orientations to sustainability. Since their personal motivations and orientation to sustainability may influence actions of the entire community, it is relevant to discover which meanings decision-makers recall when they think about “sustainability”. Since their personal motivations and orientation to sustainability may influence actions of the entire community, it is relevant to discover which meanings decision-makers recall when they think about “sustainability”.Since their personal motivations and orientation to sustainability may influence actions of the entire community, it is relevant to discover which meanings decision-makers recall when they think about “sustainability”. This exploratory qualitative research is the first step of a broader research design, and it has conducted to highlight diverse sustainability meanings and orientations, discussing with decision-makers on sustainability solutions for tourism. The data collection relies on semi-structured interviews, video recorded and transcribed, with 18 decision makers of a minor rural destination. It emerges that the prevailing meaning attributed to sustainability refers to the economic sphere, emphasizing a clear but poor common vision in terms of environmental and social sustainability. Sustainability in rural area could be a matter of myopia rather than a matter of a holistic orientation.