Proposal of requirements for the application of the Circular Economy in the tourist restoration of the Havana destination

Abstract

Introduction. UN Tourism defends the need to use the circular economy for innovation and make tourism a more sustainable activity. In Cuba, it is essential to develop a strategy that puts the circular economy and its application into practice. In the case of the restaurant sector, it generates large quantities of food and plastic waste, which does not contribute to sustainability. This study is aimed at proposing circular economy requirements to promote maximum performance of available resources, reducing waste generation to a minimum; and also the creation of opportunities for a more sustainable and inclusive system. Objective. Propose requirements for the application of the circular economy in tourist catering in the Havana destination. Methodology. In order to achieve this objective, a semi-structured interview was conducted with food and beverage quality and operations specialists from the Ministry of Tourism, and a questionnaire was also applied to food and beverage quality and operations specialists from the OSDES Hoteleras, Empresa Extrahotelera Palmares, Ministry of Domestic Trade (Mincin), as well as to the presidents of the Cuban Culinary Association, the Cuban Bartenders Association and the Cuban Sommeliers Association. A review of specialized literature and established regulations on this subject was carried out. Data processing involved the calculation of absolute and relative frequencies, the calculation of the Cronbach's Alpha index, as well as the creation of the Pareto Diagram. The proposal was validated by a group of experts, through the ANOCHI method. Results. The results of the research confirmed that there is a regulatory and legal framework in the country related to the Circular Economy, but in general its knowledge in the tourism sector is still incipient, and that the vital challenges for the application of the Circular Economy in tourist restaurants in the Havana destination are: the low training of staff, the lack of resources in the destination and the lack of necessary infrastructure. Conclusion. The Strategy for the Transition to a Circular Economy of the Ministry of Tourism is one of the fundamental pillars for its development, with the awareness and training of human resources being key factors for its progress. The requirements proposal was developed and validated, which was structured into general and specific requirements, which include a total of 14 sections. General area of ​​study: (Tourism). Specific area of ​​study: (Circular Economy). Type of study: Original articles / Original articles, or Clinical cases / Clinical cases.