Abstract
Gastronomy and urban tourism in sub-Saharan Africa provide the context for this paper. The study aims to assess the impact of gastronomy on the development of urban tourism destinations in Zimbabwe. The city of Bulawayo is the geographical focus. A qualitative research approach was adopted to gain an in-depth understanding of the issues under study. Semi-structured interviews were carried out with twenty-seven purposively sampled participants, including managers, chefs, and food service employees in the hospitality sector. Interview data was analyzed using thematic analysis. The results reveal local awareness that gastronomy can positively influence destination competitiveness and the urban tourism local economy. Nevertheless, the findings underscore the undeveloped current state of gastronomic tourism in Bulawayo, with a number of challenges and constraints to its expansion. Arguably, the most significant constraints surround the weak state of the national economy in Zimbabwe and of local infrastructure. Overall, this study contributes to a growing scholarship and debate concerning the role of gastronomy and urban tourism in sub-Saharan Africa.