Effect of the Nature of Street Food Vending on Pro-Poor Hospitality: The Moderating Role of Creativity among Vendors in Mombasa City, Kenya
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Keywords
Creativity, Inclusive Tourism, Informal Economy, Mombasa City, Pro-Poor Hospitality, Street Food Vending
Abstract
Street food vending is a critical component of urban informal economies, yet its potential to drive pro-poor hospitality outcomes in tourism-dependent cities remains under-examined. This study investigated the effect of the nature of street food vending on pro-poor hospitality and tested creativity as a moderating influence among vendors in Mombasa City, Kenya. Anchored in Innovation Diffusion Theory and Informal Sector Theory, the study employed an explanatory correlational research design. A structured questionnaire was administered to 363 street food vendors, selected through multi-stage sampling from a target population of 10,364, supplemented by key informant interviews with vendor association leaders and public health officers. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, linear regression, and Hayes' PROCESS Model 1; qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Pearson correlation revealed positive and significant associations among all study variables: nature of street food vending and pro-poor hospitality (r = .539, p < .01), creativity and pro-poor hospitality (r = .693, p < .01), and nature of street food vending and creativity (r = .730, p < .01). Regression results indicated that the nature of street food vending significantly predicted pro-poor hospitality (β = .285, p < .001, R² = .540). Creativity significantly moderated this relationship (β = .329, p < .001); conditional effects showed the relationship was non-significant at low creativity (β = .014, p = .829), but significant and progressively stronger at moderate (β = .140, p = .003) and high levels (β = .271, p < .001). Qualitative findings corroborated that strategic location, stable operating environments, hygiene compliance, and digital marketing enhanced service accessibility and inclusion. The study concludes that creativity is a boundary condition that determines whether improved vending practices translate into tangible pro-poor gains. It recommends county-level designation of protected vending zones, creativity-targeted vendor training incubators, and formal integration of street food into Mombasa's tourism value chain. This study offers the first empirical evidence that creativity moderates the street food–pro-poor hospitality nexus within a Kenyan coastal tourism context.
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Peruce Atingo , School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900–30100, Eldoret, Kenya
School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900–30100, Eldoret, Kenya
Jacqueline Korir, School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900–30100, Eldoret, Kenya
School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900–30100, Eldoret, Kenya
Belsoy Sawe , School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900–30100, Eldoret, Kenya
School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900–30100, Eldoret, Kenya