Sustainability has become one of the key elements of development for most tourist destinations. Some cities have adopted a sustainable development strategy as a long-term solution in improving socio-economic, cultural, and environmental practices. Traditionally, destinations have used events to achieve community enrichment, protect the natural environment, and create or maintain national pride. The aim of this research was to analyse the impact of events on sustainable tourism development in Durban. The study analysed the perceptions of key stakeholders regarding the contribution of events to socio-economic growth of the city of Durban. In carrying out the research, a mixed method approach was used. A total of 400 questionnaires were administered and 25 in-depth interviews were conducted. The results show that there are economic spin offs resulting from visitor spending during major events in the City. Furthermore, the study shows that although events can be used as a tool for sustainable tourism development, the challenge is the unbalanced racial structure within the industry, poor state of the economy, and limited access to business start-up capital for SMMEs. The study concludes that events play a vital role in socio-economic growth and development of the tourism sector in Durban and recommends multi-stakeholder collaboration and partnerships to ensure sustained tourism growth. Show less

Sustainability has become one of the key elements of development for most tourist destinations. Some cities have adopted a sustainable development strategy as a long-term solution in improving socio-economic, cultural, and environmental practices. Traditionally, destinations have used events to achieve community enrichment, Show more

This workbook is designed to assist funding applicants in developing the market-analysis section of their application for funding/investment. What is this workbook about? This self-guided workbook is a tool to: • Assist communities/entrepreneurs/municipalities/funding bodies/project developers etc. to determine the market feasibility of a new tourism opportunity/project • Provide an understanding of the types of data and information required to assess the market feasibility of a new tourism opportunity. • Provide a framework, guidelines and diagnostic tools for a funding applicant to effectively structure the information and data required for a market analysis • Provide the funding body with an effective tool to evaluate the market feasibility of a new tourism opportunity. Show less

This workbook is designed to assist funding applicants in developing the market-analysis section of their application for funding/investment. What is this workbook about? This self-guided workbook is a tool to: • Assist communities/entrepreneurs/municipalities/funding bodies/project developers etc. to determine the Show more

Destinations are a key feature of the tourism industry and can be regarded as a combination of all products, services and ultimately experiences provided in a particular area. They are amalgams of tourism products and services, offering an integrated experience to consumers. Traditionally, destinations are regarded as well-defined geographic areas, such as a country, an island or a town. However, destinations can also be interpreted subjectively by consumers depending on their travel itinerary, cultural background, and purpose of visit, educational level and past experience. A destination’s primary resources comprise its climate, ecology, traditions and architecture, which forms the primary attraction, either natural or manmade, while its secondary resources are developments brought in especially for tourists, such as hotels, catering, accommodation, transport and activities. Tertiary resources include the auxiliary services and facilities of the destination such as telecommunication networks, health care and more. Together, these resources contribute to the overall attractiveness of a tourist destination. However, tourist destinations compete with each other for various tourist segments and value added products and services in order to meet the needs of tourists on various aspects of the tourism experience. As tourists experience other destinations which are directly or indirectly in competition, their perceptions of quality and overall performance becomes important to determine, for example, loyalty, repeat visitation or positive word-of-mouth recommendations. Thus to remain attractive and competitive and to attract investment, it is important for destinations, including South Africa, to be involved in a continuous process of developing tourism products, infrastructure and services. Show less

Destinations are a key feature of the tourism industry and can be regarded as a combination of all products, services and ultimately experiences provided in a particular area. They are amalgams of tourism products and services, offering an integrated experience to consumers. Traditionally, destinations are regarded as Show more

This report reviews the literature and other extant credible sources to identify, and to profile, rural tourism products (RTPs) in South Africa in the context of sustainability to support the National Department of Tourism’s (NDT’s) 2012 Strategy, outcome seven, in relation to sustainable rural communities, with a strong emphasis on supporting rural tourism. Building on the assumption that sustainable RTPs lead to sustainable rural communities, an RTP sustainability framework is, therefore, at the core of the report. The report is not prescriptive in terms of the sustainable indicators that should be adopted, but rather, given the complexity and diversity of the number of issues surrounding rural tourism, it provides a framework that acts as a base for RTPs to plan, implement and assess their sustainability. Show less

This report reviews the literature and other extant credible sources to identify, and to profile, rural tourism products (RTPs) in South Africa in the context of sustainability to support the National Department of Tourism’s (NDT’s) 2012 Strategy, outcome seven, in relation to sustainable rural communities, with a strong Show more

Sustainability has become one of the key elements of development for most tourist destinations. Some cities have adopted a sustainable development strategy as a long-term solution in improving socio-economic, cultural, and environmental practices. Traditionally, destinations have used events to achieve community enrichment, protect the natural environment, and create or maintain national pride. The aim of this research was to analyse the impact of events on sustainable tourism development in Durban. The study analysed the perceptions of key stakeholders regarding the contribution of events to socio-economic growth of the city of Durban. In carrying out the research, a mixed method approach was used. A total of 400 questionnaires were administered and 25 in-depth interviews were conducted. The results show that there are economic spin offs resulting from visitor spending during major events in the City. Furthermore, the study shows that although events can be used as a tool for sustainable tourism development, the challenge is the unbalanced racial structure within the industry, poor state of the economy, and limited access to business start-up capital for SMMEs. The study concludes that events play a vital role in socio-economic growth and development of the tourism sector in Durban and recommends multi-stakeholder collaboration and partnerships to ensure sustained tourism growth. Show less

Sustainability has become one of the key elements of development for most tourist destinations. Some cities have adopted a sustainable development strategy as a long-term solution in improving socio-economic, cultural, and environmental practices. Traditionally, destinations have used events to achieve community enrichment, Show more

Coastal and Marine Tourism (CMT), as part of the oceans economy, offers significant development opportunities that can contribute to job creation and sustainability. However, that there are limited national and international best practices to assess the economic impacts of CMT. Furthermore, there are no specific accepted methodological approaches to assess the economic impacts of CMT within a country context. During the 2016/2017 financial year, the National Department of Tourism (NDT) in collaboration with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) initiated a research study to develop a framework to assess the economic impact of coastal and marine tourism (CMT) in South Africa. Phase 1 of the project focused on conducting a desktop study to review relevant literature which provides a national and international perspective to identify best practices and current trends with regard to assessing the economic impacts of CMT in order to inform the development of a framework to assess the economic contribution of CMT to South Africa’s tourism sector. Phase 2 of the study which was undertaken in 2017/18 focused on developing and piloting data collection surveys and examining which economic modelling approaches are appropriate to to assess the economic contribution of CMT to South Africa’s tourism sector. Phase 3 of the study will be undertaken in 2018/19 and will involve implementing the framework and conducting a workshop to capacitate stakeholders. The University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) took over the project after the completion of Phase 1 given that Prof Urmilla Bob was involved in the project together with Prof Kamilla Swart who was the lead researcher at CPUT and resigned at the end of 2016. Show less

Coastal and Marine Tourism (CMT), as part of the oceans economy, offers significant development opportunities that can contribute to job creation and sustainability. However, that there are limited national and international best practices to assess the economic impacts of CMT. Furthermore, there are no specific accepted Show more

The planning, development and management of tourism is a cornerstone for the socio-cultural, economic and natural growth of the tourism industry. In this regard, tourism has come to be known as a major economic force in many countries and regions throughout the world, seeking to increase jobs and thus alleviate unemployment and poverty. It is generally accepted that the growth of tourism depends largely on effective planning, developing and management of resources (facilities and activities), particularly in developing countries so as to escape poverty and inequalities (Wahab, 2000). The major research question in this study is whether there is an adequate legislative framework that effectively addresses issues of planning and development of tourism resources, facilities and activities. What makes some municipalities perform better than others in tourism resource management and development? Are there sufficient planning guidelines that facilitate integrated tourism development approaches? Lastly, what is the role and level of involvement of tourism practitioners and stakeholders in the planning, development and management of tourism resources, facilities and activities. Some other research questions that need to be attended to are as follows: What are the major relationships between national and local policies on tourism resource planning and management?. What levels of tourism planning and management capacity in municipalities need to be identified and improved? What are the existing practitioners and stakeholders‟ perceptions of tourism management and development in the provinces of South Africa? The study is limited to two provinces in South Africa, namely KwaZulu-Natal and the Eastern Cape, also covering various district and local municipalities within these regions. Both qualitative and quantitative methodologies are used. The total sample size for municipalities in both provinces is 384 respondents. The details of the methodology are discussed later, laying emphasis on the target Show less

The planning, development and management of tourism is a cornerstone for the socio-cultural, economic and natural growth of the tourism industry. In this regard, tourism has come to be known as a major economic force in many countries and regions throughout the world, seeking to increase jobs and thus alleviate unemployment and Show more

Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) policy in South Africa aims to accelerate the inclusion of black people into the economy through company ownership, human resources, and enterprise and community development. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA, 2012) indicate that 91 per cent of South Africa’s 52 million people is comprised of black people. Persons of black African origin comprise 79 per cent of the population, 9 per cent are Coloured, and 2.5 per cent are of Asian origin. Yet economic wealth is held by a white population representing 9 per cent of the population. Therefore, government insists that the pace of transformation, and implementation of B-BBEE policy in the private sector, including the tourism sector, is slow and needs addressing. The tourism sector, one of the largest and fastest growing industries in the world, was identified as a priority sector for economic development and implementation of B-BBEE policy in South Africa. In line with global conventions, the Amended Tourism B-BBEE code (2013) groups’ components of the tourism value chain into three main sub-sectors. These sub-sectors are firstly Accommodation, then Hospitality and Related Services; and thirdly, Travel and Related Services. Show less

Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) policy in South Africa aims to accelerate the inclusion of black people into the economy through company ownership, human resources, and enterprise and community development. Statistics South Africa (Stats SA, 2012) indicate that 91 per cent of South Africa’s 52 million people Show more

Mapungubwe serves both as National Park and World Heritage Site (inscribed in ethnic3) due to its extraordinary contribution to the country and the world’s historical and natural heritage. Activities include bird watching, game viewing (the big five), tree top walks overlooking the Limpopo River, guided heritage walks to Mapungubwe (Jackal) Hill, rock art walks, night drives, and the Vhembe Wilderness trails. From a positive perspective, amongst others, it was observed that staff members are mostly helpful and professional with some exceptions, walkways are universally accessible, picnic areas have sufficient facilities and there is adequate signage. Some issues have to be addressed such as greater availability of information, extension of the parking area at reception, limited restaurant menu, limited variety of goods at curio shop and lack of children’s activities. Show less

Mapungubwe serves both as National Park and World Heritage Site (inscribed in ethnic3) due to its extraordinary contribution to the country and the world’s historical and natural heritage. Activities include bird watching, game viewing (the big five), tree top walks overlooking the Limpopo River, guided heritage walks to Show more

iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a unique site with international significance as a Heritage site. It contains pristine beauty and offers visitors a variety of experiences. The diversity of landscapes makes it appealing to different visitor types, from adventure seekers to family holiday goers and nature lovers. It has the potential to be a world class experience. Elements from the site observation were not conducive to the image of iSimangaliso as a tourist attraction. With some areas branding is visible, but in others not, to the extent that tourists do not always know that they are in a unique Heritage site. Confusion is created when moving through the different entry gates for iSimangaliso versus KZN Wildlife, with fees differing, separate permits having to be obtained. The quality of infrastructure and service delivery also differs across the different sections of the Park; being old and rundown in some areas, while modern and new in others. There is a clear difference between properties managed by iSimangaliso versus KZN Wildlife. This can impede on visitors’ image and perceptions about the Park as a holistic, well run attraction. Show less

iSimangaliso Wetland Park is a unique site with international significance as a Heritage site. It contains pristine beauty and offers visitors a variety of experiences. The diversity of landscapes makes it appealing to different visitor types, from adventure seekers to family holiday goers and nature lovers. It has the Show more