Food Wastages Among African Tourism Enterprises: Causal Factors, Regulation and Prospects in South Africa

The hospitality industry around the world faces a big challenge in the form of food waste, which has significant repercussions for the environment, economy, and society. The objectives of the chapter are to identify the major causes/factors that contribute to an unsustainable/rampant food wastage phenomenon in the broad travel and tourism industry, analyse the regulatory frameworks that have been put in place, and evaluate the potential for future food waste reduction. The tourism industry in South Africa is thriving, which presents the country with a unique set of issues as well as possibilities in terms of reducing food waste. What was the study’s methodology? Excessive production, ineffective inventory control, poor staff training, and patterns of consumer behavior are some of the primary causes identified by this research. In addition, the study investigates the impact that seasonal shifts and unpredictability in the number of tourists have in contributing to the problem of food waste increase. The conclusions of this chapter contribute to the larger conversation about sustainable tourism and offer ideas that may be put into practice by policymakers as well as practitioners throughout South Africa and abroad. The tourism industry in South Africa can make substantial progress towards a more environmentally friendly future if it takes action to address the underlying causes of food waste and makes use of changes in regulatory policies and technological improvements. Any recommendations in light of the main findings?