Sustainable and circular practices in the hotel industry in Southern Italy: opportunities, barriers and trends in food waste management

Abstract

PurposeThe hotel industry is one of the leading producers of waste worldwide, and more than one-third of that waste is food. The purpose of this study is to investigate hotel managers' awareness of sustainable and circular practices, with a focus on their attitude toward and perception of food waste in Apulia, Southern Italy. The region has a tourist vocation, accounts for 3.3 million tourists per year and plays a key role in the Italian tourism.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted using a questionnaire administered to ten hotel managers located in Apulia. In light of the Checkup Tool Speditivo, a sustainability score indicates managers' awareness of and attitude toward sustainability and circularity, distinguishing between “beginner” (0–25 points), “concerned” (26–50 points), “proactivist” (51–75 points) and “sustainable” (76–100 points). The results have been analyzed using descriptive statistic tools.FindingsThe average sustainability score indicating the level of awareness of sustainable and circular practices among hotel managers in Apulia was 84, whereas the average score associated with their attitude toward food waste management strategies was 65. The greater the number of stars, the higher the sustainability scores. However, the greater the number of rooms, the lower the attitude toward food waste management strategies.Originality/valueThe study sheds light on the main opportunities, barriers and trends in the field of food waste management, highlighting the food commodities which are wasted the most and proposing further strategies to improve circularity and sustainability in hotels. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study is the first on such topics in Southern Italy and could represent the basis for future research on the topic.

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“…Our study aligns with Sorin and Sivarajah's [56] investigation into the understanding and applicability of the circular economy in the hotel industry, albeit focusing on Iranian hotel challenges and opportunities, particularly regarding sustainable practices related to energy, water, and food. Similarly, Lagioia and Amicarelli [57] explore sustainable and circular practices, specifically in food waste management within the Southern Italian hotel industry. While their research concentrates on attitudes and perceptions of hotel managers in the Apulia region, ours expands to encompass diverse sustainability challenges across Iran.…”

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“…This study adopts a step-by-step approach outlined as follows: (1) identification of the primary research trends in recent literature (Section 1) and (2) drafting of the questionnaire, development of the sampling strategy, and execution of data collection (Sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, and 2.4), followed by data analysis (Section 2.5). This research methodology is recognized for combining qualitative and quantitative methods to attain a comprehensive understanding and an in-depth yet precise argument (26,27). By employing stakeholder triangulation and gaining a comprehensive understanding of stakeholder feedback, this methodology is considered appropriate for ensuring data robustness and scientific soundness (28,29).…”

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“…In considering that the hotel industry is one of the leading producers of waste worldwide and that over one-third is composed of food, Lagioia et al (2024) have investigated hotel managers' awareness of sustainable and circular practices, focusing on their attitude and perception of food waste in Southern Italy. The research has estimated that the greater the number of starts, the higher the sustainability of hotels, by the greater the number of rooms, the lower the attitude towards sustainable food waste management strategies.…”

“…In considering that the hotel industry is one of the leading producers of waste worldwide and that over one-third is composed of food, Lagioia et al . (2024) have investigated hotel managers' awareness of sustainable and circular practices, focusing on their attitude and perception of food waste in Southern Italy.…”