Sustainability Analysis of SMEs Facing Economic Adversity: A Case Study of Hotel Sector Companies in the City of Tete (2018–2023)

Abstract

This article analyzes the sustainability of hotel companies in the face of economic adversity. Methodologically, the study employed explanatory research descriptive in nature and qualitative in approach based on a literature review and semi-structured interviews. Data collection relied on primary sources (interviews with managers of the companies studied) and secondary sources (scientific literature and relevant documents). The results indicate that managers are knowledgeable about sustainability and implement practices aligned with the three pillars of sustainable development. Furthermore, the findings demonstrate that it is possible to reconcile sustainability, business strategy, and competitive advantage within the tourism sector, although the main obstacles to implementing sustainable practices relate to the availability of financial resources and stakeholder awareness.
However, limitations were identified regarding the ability to capture knowledge and apply sustainability indicators to evaluate performance; addressing these areas could contribute to future studies. Furthermore, dividing the period of analysis (2018-2023) into three distinct phases pre-pandemic stability (2018-2019), acute shock (2020-2021), and recovery/inflationary adjustment (2022-2023) would provide a more comprehensive and structured approach to the topic. Nevertheless, we recognize that this temporal segmentation falls beyond the scope of the present study and may be addressed in future research to provide a more in-depth understanding of the phenomenon across these different periods.