Abstract
In 2015 the United Nations (UN), after consultation with various stakeholders, came up with 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets which they termed Agenda 2030. The specified timeline for achieving the sustainable development goals was the period between the years 2016 and 2030. The UN general assembly acknowledged the role of business in attaining the SDGs. Of note and relevance to this thesis are the three SDGs that foreground the role of tourism in achieving Agenda 2030. Namely, SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth), SDG 12 (Responsible consumption and production) and SDG 14 (Life below water). It is against this backdrop that this study sought to ascertain how the Zimbabwean hospitality sector understands and implements the sustainability ethos. Relatedly, a key objective of the study was to investigate how the hospitality industry is contributing to the attainment of the SDGs.
Data was collected through semi-structured questionnaires administered to 125 hospitality establishments, semi-structured face to face interviews with 15 key informants from various tourism and hospitality organizations and website analysis of five major hospitality chains in Zimbabwe. Survey data was analysed using descriptive statistics, frequency distribution, cross-tabulation, one-way ANOVA tests, chi-square tests, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and multiple response analysis using SPSS version 25. Semi-structured face to face interviews and website data were analysed using thematic content analysis.
Findings reveal that self-reported understanding of sustainability issues is high in the hospitality sector. Hotels demonstrated a strong appreciation of sustainability issues compared to lodges and guest houses. Establishments located in the internationally oriented Victoria Falls market exhibited higher awareness of sustainability issues compared to establishments in other geographical regions that mainly target domestic tourists. Key informants demonstrated that they understand the tenets of sustainable tourism, which involve environmental conservation and the consumption of resources that ensures their intergenerational continuity.
Moreover, results from surveys and key informants highlight that over and above other SDGs, the hospitality industry can make a meaningful contribution to SDG 8: decent work and economic growth, SDG 12: responsible consumption and production, SDG 6: clean water and sanitation, SDG 9: industry innovation and infrastructure and SDG, 11: sustainable cities and communities.