Operational Efficiency and Environmental Impacts of Food Service Establishments in Phuket, Thailand

Abstract

The expansion of global tourism development has led to an increase in environmental burdens. This study aimed to assess the operational performance and the environmental impacts associated with food service establishments in Phuket, an international tourist island in Thailand. A joint application of life cycle assessment and data envelopment analysis was employed to evaluate environmental burdens and calculate the efficiency scores encompassing several inputs and outputs of each food service establishment. There are several characteristics of food service establishments that affect their operational and environmental performance. The results showed that location, opening hours, and surrounding conditions are key factors driving the performance of air-conditioned food service establishments, while the performance of non-air-conditioned ones is mainly decided by opening hours. However, these factors are not significant for the performance of street food service establishments. It is advised to carefully consider the characteristics of the included food service establishments based on their products and services to enhance their performance. As an effort to achieve a balanced connection between environmental quality and economic growth, it is essential to evaluate both operational and environmental performance. Attaining maximum operational efficiency does not necessarily ensure the same for eco-efficiency.