Tourism is a Morden-day engine for growth and is one of the largest industries globally. Being a labour intensive industry with a supply chain that links across many sectors, tourism is a priority sector in the government’s planning and policy frameworks. However, the involvement of community members in a project is often dependent upon the associated project benefits that can provide for the community, such as physical development of the area, the inclusion of community requests in project planning and development and the economic returns from the project for community members. To understand the impact of community based tourism projects in KwaZulu Natal, the research used a multi-pronged approach by applying naturalistic enquiry principles. Two case studies were selected for this study namely, Ugu District Municipality and Ethekwini Municipality. The former was chosen because of its potential to provide best practices whilst the later provided a broader perspective due to the number of tourists received by the City annually. Focus group discussions, in- depth interviews and researcher administered questionnaires formed the core data collection approaches. In total 154 people participated in the study of which 135 were community members, 3 representatives from Municipalities and 16 CBT representatives. The results of the study show that CBT projects have a potential to uplift the community’s livelihoods. Although a number of community benefits were realised, the viability of CBTs is affected by other variables. Despite increasing the community’s standard of living and creating employment opportunities, collective benefits are usually not enough to cater for all the needs of the community members. Furthermore, the study also revealed that there are some conflicts arising from managing these projects. Most community members have no training to manage profitable tourism enterprises. Therefore, meaningful participation should enable stakeholders, among them the local communities who are often the intended beneficiaries to influence and share control over development initiatives, decisions and resources which affect them. CBT projects however cannot be a panacea to unemployment and poverty in the surrounding local communities but should be used as an alternative livelihood option to complement other sectors. The study notes the challenges of CBTs and recommendations are made on the future direction of CBTs. Show less

Tourism is a Morden-day engine for growth and is one of the largest industries globally. Being a labour intensive industry with a supply chain that links across many sectors, tourism is a priority sector in the government’s planning and policy frameworks. However, the involvement of community members in a project is often Show more

Accommodation is one of the largest components of the tourism sector (Deng, Yeh, and Sung 2013). The increasing competition in the accommodation sector has meant that establishments have started focusing a lot on improving customer satisfaction with a view to retain existing and attract new customers. Consequently, a number of studies have been carried out to assess customer satisfaction and its determinants in several sectors, including accommodation. Several of such research investigates the relationship between various service quality dimensions and overall customer satisfaction. For example, The American Customer Satisfaction Index (ACSI), established in 1994 and inspired by the Swedish Customer Satisfaction Barometer (SCSB) (Fornell et al., 1996), contains sets of causal relationship between the antecedents (e.g. customer expectations, perceived service quality and perceived value) and the consequences (e.g. customer complaints and customer loyalty) of customer satisfaction. Such studies are based on the premise that service quality influences customer satisfaction which in turn influences customer behavioural intention (i.e. their intention to return to the same accommodation again or complaints behaviour) (Kang, Okamoto, and Donovan, 2004). The latter empirically reported that increased customer satisfaction in the accommodation sector led to positive behavioural intention, prevented customer defection, and lowered marking costs of the organisations. There is also considerable evidence to suggest that service quality and perceive value with a product or service are associated with customer satisfaction (Brady, Robertson, and Cronin, 2001). Show less

Accommodation is one of the largest components of the tourism sector (Deng, Yeh, and Sung 2013). The increasing competition in the accommodation sector has meant that establishments have started focusing a lot on improving customer satisfaction with a view to retain existing and attract new customers. Consequently, a number of Show more

The main objective of this study was to determine how event tourism can be used to promote local economic development in South Africa by drawing lessons from case studies on events taking place in the Limpopo Province. Tourism sector development is regarded as a key ingredient for local economic development (LED) by both the National Development Plan (NDP) and the National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS). The hosting of events, commonly known as event tourism, is an important tourism sub-sector that can be used as a tool for promoting LED. Event tourism is concerned with the roles that festivals and special events can play in destination development and the maximisation of an event’s attractiveness to tourists. Destinations hosting events of cultural significance such as religious gatherings have the potential to adopt event tourism as a development strategy. As events grow in scope and scale they tend to attract more attention in terms of tourism, the media, infrastructure development and economic investment which in turn contribute to employment and income generation at national, provincial and municipal levels. Over the past three years, the University of Venda (Univen) research team has studied two types of events: a sporting event and two religious events. Based on the experience of studying these events, the National Department of Tourism (NDT) tasked the Univen team to identify key success factors in hosting of events, and make recommendations on how events can be used as a broader strategy for municipalities to develop local economies. The study was designed to capture Public-Private Partnership (PPP) in event organisation and management, within the framework of sustainable local economic development proposed by Forum for the Future (1998). In line with this study design, a compilation of nearly all private and public events taking place in the five districts of the Limpopo Province was undertaken to develop a database. Data used for the analysis in this study therefore included data on the events (religious and sporting) that have already been researched by the Univen team, as well as data collected on selected private and public events from the developed database which included; the annual Kremetart Cycling race in Louis Trichardt (private), the annual Makhado Local Municipality Agricultural show (public), the annual Waterberg District Municipality tourism summit, career expos and tourism road show (public),and the annual Tzaneen Local Municipality Agricultural Expo (public). Interviews were held with organisers of these events as well as with local municipal officers, who are responsible in providing support structures or take advantage of the private events so that the local jurisdiction could benefit. The study further requested and downloaded Integrated Development Plans (IDPs) of the municipalities in the province. The idea was to scan all these to check if they have tourism (and or events) as a strategy The findings of the study begins with a summary of the local economic development lessons identified in the three previous studies that were done by Univen. We then follow this up by presenting a combination of results from different interviews held with event organisers and/or municipal officials responsible for events. Five propositions emanating from the findings were developed and together were used by the authors to devise and propose a strategy for using events for local economic development. The major lessons drawn for other municipalities are presented in a 10-step lesson checklist as follows: (1) there are advantages of planning very well for events; (2) events should be advertised and promoted; (3) events should be evaluated to provide information on how to improve participants’ experiences; (4) a deliberate transformation process to aid Local Economic Development should be made; (5) events, in addition to natural landmarks, must be recognized as a tourist attraction source; (6) price discrimination should be practiced based on the type of participants; (7) events may be combined to create differentiation, greater value and enhance participation; (8) events may be designed to provide both education and entertainment; (9) the stakeholder participation is important; and (10) events could be institutionalised. Show less

The main objective of this study was to determine how event tourism can be used to promote local economic development in South Africa by drawing lessons from case studies on events taking place in the Limpopo Province. Tourism sector development is regarded as a key ingredient for local economic development (LED) by both the Show more

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world today. Modern tourism is closely linked to development and is often a main income source for developing countries. In fact, the business volume of tourism often equals or exceeds that of oil exports, food products or automobiles. This growth goes hand in hand with an increasing diversification and competition amongst destinations. The tourism industry is also associated with the phenomenon of globalization. This is particularly relevant within the context of cross-border tourism. Moreover, international tourists who are long-haul travellers visit a country or a region to see as many sites and areas as possible. A well-developed cross-border tourism The program will therefore increase a region’s competitiveness in the international domain. The creation of tourism routes across international borders has been established in regions such as Europe and the Baltic states. The former has begun the management of the training of tourist guides in order for them to obtain regional capacity – meaning they are allowed to accompany tour groups to sites in multiple countries. Show less

Tourism is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world today. Modern tourism is closely linked to development and is often a main income source for developing countries. In fact, the business volume of tourism often equals or exceeds that of oil exports, food products or automobiles. This growth goes hand in hand with Show more

Phase 1 of the study focused on identifying the relevant indicators that can be used to measure the impact of events of different types and sizes in South Africa. The indicators have also been prioritised according to three categories of relevance i.e. high, medium and low categories. The findings including the indicators from phase one of study were presented to industry stakeholders at the Research Seminar on 13 March 2014. Stakeholders agreed that Phase 2 of the study should include an evaluation of different types of events. This phase of the study which is being conducted currently focuses on piloting and developing the framework to measure the impact of events of different types and sizes in South Africa. Upon further consultation with the Provinces in May and June 2014, it was recommended that the study be extended to another year (Phase 3 - 2015/2016). This would allow for comprehensive piloting (at two selected events) and implementation at five selected events across Phases 2 and 3. In addition, it was recommended that Phase 3 of the study should focus on providing support to NDT and the Provinces in implementing the framework in the first year to strengthen capacity with the Department and the Provinces. Show less

Phase 1 of the study focused on identifying the relevant indicators that can be used to measure the impact of events of different types and sizes in South Africa. The indicators have also been prioritised according to three categories of relevance i.e. high, medium and low categories. The findings including the indicators from Show more

The overall aim of the study was to develop a model to assess provincial competitiveness and apply the model to selected provinces in South Africa. The study was conducted from an emerging domestic market viewpoint, based on selected sub-segments. The study is based on the premise that factors and indicators that are relevant to different regions must be identified, both those that are relevant for any destination, as well as those that are specific to particular destinations. Factors and indicators were identified and validated empirically though focus groups and a sample of emerging tourists in all provinces in the country. Factor analysis was used to create the dimensionality of factors under which the indicators could be grouped, the outcome of which was the so-called Tourism and Travel Market Indicators Index. Show less

The overall aim of the study was to develop a model to assess provincial competitiveness and apply the model to selected provinces in South Africa. The study was conducted from an emerging domestic market viewpoint, based on selected sub-segments. The study is based on the premise that factors and indicators that are Show more

This report is an investigation into the socio-economic impacts of the religious gathering in Moria on the surrounding communities. Moria is the head-quarters of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), an entirely black denomination with millions of members from several African countries, formed in 1910 by the late Engenas Lekganyane. In a given year, the gathering takes place in April and in September, although attending services and spiritual consultations do take place outside these two main gatherings. In this highly spiritual context with a lot of activities that may not be comprehended by the common person, this research study is an attempt to gather information and give voice to the agents within the communities surrounding Moria themselves, and to present this evidence to policy-makers, business establishments and any other interested stakeholder in the tourism industry as an input to their strategizing and decision-making in relation to this massive gathering. The study was approached mainly from a qualitative approach and secondarily from a quantitative approach. In the field work, observations, informal interviews and two sessions of focus group discussions with agents from the business establishments located within 50km radius of Moria were conducted. The first observation method was executed before the gathering as a way of scanning the environment, and the second was done during the gathering and another a month after the gathering when activities in fuel stations were monitored. Informal interviews accompanied the first observation, while focus group discussions were a standalone. The findings of this research report are presented under five headings that were identified from the data gathered: a description of Moria and the surrounding communities; relations between the gathering and commercial establishments; determinants of business location; social impact of the gathering; and motorists utilizing fuel stations with and without the gathering. Using these findings we report that over and above being the supplier of spiritual food, the church is contributing towards employment, education and health. We argue that these contributions are vital as they have a great potential of reducing poverty, crime rate, and use of drugs that usually accompany the unemployed and the uneducated. The presence of the church without a doubt improves the rural-urban linkages. While most businesses report that they do not observe any significant change in their sales during the gathering, they do nonetheless respond to certain requirements of pilgrims to take advantage of the increased demand. The findings also suggest that the gathering triggers a ripple-purchasing effect from non-ZCC members of the community, where the report defines the ripple-purchasing effect as activities accompanying an event that lead people to be in a buying spree. For fuel stations in particular, the frequency with which motorists utilise their services is twice more during a week-end with the gathering. On the other hand, the report also highlights the reduction in sales observed by some hawkers during the gathering as a result of over-supply of commodities by business establishments who position themselves to supply only during this period. Show less

This report is an investigation into the socio-economic impacts of the religious gathering in Moria on the surrounding communities. Moria is the head-quarters of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC), an entirely black denomination with millions of members from several African countries, formed in 1910 by the late Engenas Lekganyane. Show more

The aim of the study was to identify the most appropriate set of factors and indicators of destination competitiveness that are relevant to South Africa as a tourism destination with a view to developing and applying a model or instrument to measure and rate the country's competitiveness, relative to its potential. The research was done on the premise that to rank a destination's competitiveness against all other destinations is an exercise in futility. A destination competes within a source market and as such, must be viewed against competitors relevant to that source market using appropriate indicators as measures of comparison. There were two stages to this project, the first was conducted in 2013 where the outcome was a definition which guided the study and a conceptual set of indicators that are appropriate to South Africa to measure its tourism destination competitiveness. The second stage, completed in March 2015 pertains to the methodology followed in validating the set of indicators to test South Africa's competitiveness as a tourist destination against specific competitors and within identified traditional and emerging source markets and the results obtained. Show less

The aim of the study was to identify the most appropriate set of factors and indicators of destination competitiveness that are relevant to South Africa as a tourism destination with a view to developing and applying a model or instrument to measure and rate the country's competitiveness, relative to its potential. The research Show more

Service quality is an essential component contributing to the success and/or failure of tourism destinations. The study of tourism attractions in the context of service delivery and customer satisfaction is a useful exercise that can help the industry and the government to appreciate the country’s competitive position. The National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS, 2011) emphasises this concern by focusing on issues related to delivering a world-class visitor experience and positioning South Africa as a globally recognised tourism destination brand. Research has already documented the existence of inconsistencies of service levels in the South African destination offerings (i.e. poor culture of service, lack of service ethos and skills, inconsistent customer service delivery, and poor leadership). Production and consumption of a service are often inseparable (the quality of the production and consumption of each service depends on the type of interaction created between an employee and customer with the customer having an active part driving inputs that can uniquely modify the final service outcomes). Each of these factors affects both the interaction and final quality perceived to have been experienced of a service/product delivered by employees, for the customer. Managing both the employee and customer intangible contributions to what represents an acceptable service process, are then pivotal to what constitutes a successful outcome in service interactions. This research study concentrates on evaluating five tourism attractions in South Africa assessing customer satisfaction with the services, facilities and ‘experiences offered’ by tourism attractions and the perceptions of managers and employees at these attractions of what service quality they are delivering. Show less

Service quality is an essential component contributing to the success and/or failure of tourism destinations. The study of tourism attractions in the context of service delivery and customer satisfaction is a useful exercise that can help the industry and the government to appreciate the country’s competitive position. The 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 population, sampling units and strategy as well as the research instrument. 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