Social and occupational integration in migrant tourism entrepreneurship in Italy

This study investigates how social and occupational integration shape migrant entrepreneurship in Italy’s accommodation and restaurant sector, where tourism is a key economic driver. Using an original panel dataset covering 102 provinces (2013–2022), the analysis examines both direct and interaction effects of integration dimensions, accounting for international tourism expenditure. Results show that both social and occupational integration foster migrant entrepreneurship, although their effects are not complementary. Social integration emerges as the stronger determinant, amplified by tourism demand, while occupational integration is weaker and less consistent. Subsample analyses reveal gender and territorial heterogeneities: female entrepreneurship is more strongly linked to social integration and responsive to tourism demand, whereas occupational integration is more relevant for men. In low-density provinces, occupational integration loses significance, social integration remains key, and the negative effect of tourism expenditure is offset by its interaction with social integration.