The expansion of small tourism businesses in the rural areas of Gilan has been proposed as a strategy for generating income and employment in these regions. However, the sustainability of the jobs created remains uncertain due to factors such as dependence on the tourism season, fluctuations in demand, and the environmental impacts of these activities. Accordingly, the present study was conducted with the aim of examining the effects of the sustainability of micro‑tourism businesses on sustainable employment in tourism‑oriented villages of Gilan Province. This applied research employed a quantitative approach, and its statistical population consisted of local residents of tourism‑receptive villages in Gilan. Using convenience sampling, a total of 218 individuals were selected. A set of statistical tests—including one‑sample t‑test, Pearson correlation, regression analysis, and path analysis—was used to analyze the data. The results of the one‑sample t‑test indicated that most sustainability indicators of these businesses were above the average value (3). Among them, the indicators “alignment of the business with workers’ skills” and “prevention of soil pollution” were evaluated slightly below the mean, whereas the indicator “creating employment for family members,” with an average of 3.92, showed the most favorable condition. These findings suggest that the sustainability of micro‑tourism businesses is generally at a relatively desirable level. The results of the Pearson correlation test further revealed that all indicators related to “sustainable employment”—including increased income, reduced sense of poverty, and strengthened employment opportunities for women and youth—had a positive, direct, and highly significant relationship with the variable “sustainability of tourism businesses” at the 0.001 level. Correlation coefficients ranging from 0.501 to 0.567 these variables. exerted the greatest direct influence on the dependent variable. Altogether, these findings clearly demonstrate the central, multidimensional, and reinforcing role of micro‑tourism business sustainability in strengthening sustainable employment within host communities.