The effect of solid waste accumulation on tourism business in the central business district (CBD) of Pietermaritzburg

Abstract

The tourism business is susceptible to its environment, and Pietermaritzburg has been affected by high solid waste accumulated on the streets of the city which subsequently influences the tourism business. Research shows that solid waste mismanagement in the city is the result of maladministration, improper expenditure, and overall lack of accountability from government departments. This study aims to investigate how this issue has affected the tourism business in Pietermaritzburg. Based on the review of literature and theoretical frameworks, a qualitative research design was adopted to answer research questions. Individual interviews were conducted from purposively selected sample in the study area. The researcher interviewed both managerial and non-managerial employees from the selected sample of tourism businesses. This study used systematic theme analysis, by analysing content presented in the data from interviews. Analysis of results demonstrated that waste mismanagement affected the tourism business in a sense that visitors are not frequenting the attractions because they have safety concerns, and poor hygiene in the city could pose threat to their health and wellbeing. The study found that negative customer positioning, lack of service delivery and poor infrastructure were some of the biggest challenges for the tourism business in the city. Tourism cannot be developed as a lone industry; it needs collaborative efforts from all stakeholders especially government to provide essential services for tourism to thrive. The study recommends a model that could be used by the tourism business and government for improved service delivery. It also recommends that tourism areas should be treated differently than domestic areas when it comes to waste collection schedule development, and waste prevention where practical. This would prevent the amount of waste accumulated on the streets of PMB and the amount of waste that goes into landfilling.