Rural community entrepreneurship: a case of Kampung Sungai Kubang Badak Mangrove Langkawi Geopark

Rural entrepreneurship plays a significant role in promoting sustainable economic growth and improving the socio-economic well-being of local communities, particularly in tourism-based rural destinations. Despite the growing attention given to rural entrepreneurship, limited empirical studies have examined the entrepreneurial characteristics, digital adoption, and business challenges faced by local entrepreneurs in Kampung Sungai Kubang Badak Mangrove Langkawi Geopark. Therefore, this study aims to describe the entrepreneurial profile, business practices, digital platform utilisation, and challenges encountered by rural entrepreneurs within the study area. A descriptive quantitative research design was employed using convenience sampling involving 82 local entrepreneurs. Data were collected through structured questionnaires and analysed using descriptive statistics, including frequencies and percentages, with the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 27. The findings reveal that agriculture and fishing remain the dominant economic activities, while most respondents have limited exposure to entrepreneurship training despite actively using e-commerce platforms. Financial constraints, market competition, and limited business knowledge were identified as the major challenges affecting entrepreneurial development. The study highlights the importance of strengthening entrepreneurship training, digital marketing capabilities, and financial support programmes to enhance the sustainability of rural entrepreneurship. The findings provide useful insights for policymakers, tourism agencies, and entrepreneurship development organisations in designing more effective community-based entrepreneurship initiatives within rural tourism destinations.