The role of street food vending in urban tourism developments in the Global South

Abstract

Street food vending has become a central aspect of urban informality, which is a significant economic activity in many countries, particularly in the Global South. Nevertheless, this sector receives limited attention from policymakers, tourism practitioners, and destination managers, and its economic significance remains largely unaccounted for. This study, therefore, aimed to explore the role of street food vending in urban tourism, focusing specifically on a Global South city. In this qualitative study, which focused on Bulawayo, Zimbabwe's second-largest city, semi-structured interviews were conducted with informal food vendors to gain insights into the topic. Thematic analysis was employed to identify patterns and recurring issues in the interview data. The findings reveal that street food vending plays a significant role in urban tourism development. This economy contributes to urban growth by creating employment, empowering residents, and supporting other businesses, an economic contribution that remains largely undocumented due to the marginalisation of the informal sector.