Sustainability practices of Transkei guesthouses

This research was undertaken to establish the extent of awareness and implementation of green water management practices in guesthouses in the former Transkei area of the Eastern Cape, South Africa. The research focused on tourism guesthouses, since water is one of the major cost drivers in the guesthouses. Relevant stakeholders like inter-alia, the OR Tambo District Municipality the local water authority, and the Department of Tourism Mthatha were included through public domain document reviews to highlight their roles in water management for the hospitality business. Data was collected through the use of one-on-one qualitative interviews. It was found that the majority of the purposefully selected guesthouses did not practice green water management principles as pertaining to treating water as a business resource. The findings showed that the majority of guesthouses continued to depend on an unreliable municipal water supply although it affected the quality of their customer experience, which has long-term negative implications for the business sustainability. The findings indicated that guesthouses also did little to reduce their water usage in amenities like toilets, baths, and showers which is problematic given the water shortages faced in South Africa recently. Furthermore, although some guesthouses had water storage tanks, rainwater was not used as an environmentally friendly alternative water source. Instead, such tanks were replenished with municipal water when it was available, which comes at a price. The few guesthouses that were found to follow green water management practices as part of their overall business strategy, were found to have achieved savings as a result of reduced municipal charges, and water availability was guaranteed for guests. The findings indicated that guesthouses accept as true that typically guests assume that water consumed during their visit was commensurate with the guesthouse tariff that they had paid i.e. guests waste water as they believe they have paid for it. This research makes managerial recommendations to guesthouse owners as to the value of water management practices as part of a sound business management strategy and sustainability initiatives.