Autor/a

Ann Ndeke (Technical University of Kenya)

Tourism and travel is continuously growing in less Developed Countries (LDC’s) (Holden, 2013). Part of the sustainable tourism development debate includes equitable engagement in the economic, social and cultural aspects of host communities in touristic destinations.  Thus, backward linkages and involvement of the majority poor is seen as a solution to profit repatriation that occurs with international Hospitality businesses such as hotels that sell food to majority tourists. Sale of street foods to tourists presents an alternative and local community involvement and enhances authenticity for the tourist experience in destinations. This paper will analyse street foods as a potential economic sustainability avenue to providing convenient, authentic, cost friendly and healthy meals to both locals and tourists in Mombasa County. Further, the research is aimed at analysing constraints and measures to upscale and brand these foods as a vibrant tourist activity that will have multiple benefits for the street food vendors, food suppliers, Destination Management Organisations (DMO’s) and Mombasa County economic development as a whole. Study methods to be used in this research will be qualitative exploratory, whereby data collection methods will include interview schedules and observation check lists. Qualitative data will be gathered and analysed thematically.

Palabras clave: Street foods, Vendors, Sustainable tourism