Exploring the patterns of food waste generation by tourists in a popular destination

Tourist food consumption is an important driver of food waste generation within the hotel/restaurant/café (HORECA) sector of popular destinations. Little is however known about the exact magnitude of food wastage by tourists alongside the determinants of their wasteful behaviour. This study has striven to contribute to knowledge with an exploratory survey in Lhasa, a popular destination in China, which set to establish the size of food wastage by tourists and explain the role of various socio-demographic and food consumption-related factors in its occurrence by statistical analysis and multiple linear regression analysis, respectively. The study found that tourists generated circa 15% of the total food waste in the HORECA sector, while the taste preferences and portion size were two major causes. The level of tourist education and personal satisfaction with meals exerted a significant negative impact on food waste generation. To reduce food wastage, policy-makers and HORECA professionals should educate tourists about the detrimental effect of wasted food and increase their satisfaction with meals. The research findings provided insights into achieving sustainability objectives in national and international tourism sectors.