Urban tourism has become an important sector within the global tourism industry as it is able to serve a range of tourists, satisfy their needs, and exceed their expectations. The urban environment usually is seen as “standing alone” with regards to the operational aspects of tourism, however, it has become increasingly recognised as an integral part of the tourist experience. With this in mind, the City of Cape Town has become an increasingly popular urban tourism destination on the African continent. The City of Cape Town’s unique geographical location and history has had a significant influence on its tourism industry and contributed to the development of various tourism sectors, each with their own attractions and experiences in and around the city. As a result, urban tourism in all its facets increased the City of Cape Town’s share of the global tourism industry and made it a more attractive domestic and international urban tourist destination largely in part to the public-private partnership between the City of Cape Town (municipality) and Cape Town Tourism (official marketing organisation for Cape Town). Cape Town Tourism has also been invited to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) to serve on the Destination and Business Council and present this public-private tourism model at its annual general meeting. Consequently, the immense diversity of Cape Town’s tourism sectors and its tourism model has contributed to its popularity as an urban tourism destination with an exemplary urban tourism product that could be adapted and transferred to other African cities. Show less

Urban tourism has become an important sector within the global tourism industry as it is able to serve a range of tourists, satisfy their needs, and exceed their expectations. The urban environment usually is seen as “standing alone” with regards to the operational aspects of tourism, however, it has become increasingly Show more

Municipalities are at the lowest level of Government, and it is where the actual implementation of tourism policies takes place. District municipalities and communities globally often face poorly planned development projects resulting from inefficient and ineffective policy and planning implementation. One of the reasons for this is that there is, at times, a lack of participation by key stakeholders. The success of tourism development policies and their implementation rests on the involvement of all relevant stakeholders. This study adopted a qualitative research approach whereby purposive and snowball sampling methods were used to identify the research sample from the research population. The research population included the district municipality staff, regional and local tourism organisations, also known as tourism forums, tourism development agencies, and the rural planning and economic development departments. Consequently, fourteen (14) semi-structured interviews were conducted with key stakeholders from the district municipality, local municipalities, tourism organisations and Eastern Cape Parks Tourism Agency. A thematic analysis technique was used to analyse the data. This study focused on stakeholder involvement in the development and implementation of tourism policies in the O.R Tambo District Municipality (ORTDM). The key findings from the study revealed that there is a lack of stakeholder collaboration in development and the implementation of tourism-related policies in ORTDM. Show less

Municipalities are at the lowest level of Government, and it is where the actual implementation of tourism policies takes place. District municipalities and communities globally often face poorly planned development projects resulting from inefficient and ineffective policy and planning implementation. One of the reasons Show more

This study attempts to examine the relationship between archives, tourism and museums by positioning museums as a conduit between them. It takes a closer look at this triangular relationship by first considering the history and relationship between archives and museums. Secondly, it considers the relationship between museums and tourism and the recent trends that connect museums with tourism. Thirdly, it looks at how the development of archives is linked to museums and tourism to form this triangular relationship. It is argued that archives and tourism are set to become greater partners through museums. Museums and tourism are already connected through the history of their development, and therefore increased collaborative efforts between museums and archives in the fourth Industrial Revolution will lead to archives becoming more connected to the tourism sphere that museums are located in. The study uses Mapungubwe as an example of how the archive, museum and tourism sector share a triangular relationship. Show less

This study attempts to examine the relationship between archives, tourism and museums by positioning museums as a conduit between them. It takes a closer look at this triangular relationship by first considering the history and relationship between archives and museums. Secondly, it considers the relationship between museums Show more

This study considers tourists' perspectives on the Critical Success Factors for guided tours in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Guided tours and tourism destinations are inseparable, with such guided tours often being sought after for their power to improve tourist satisfaction and envisioned to enhance visitors' experience and impact tourism growth at destinations. The success of such guided tours is often premised on several factors, which when present, would influence visitors' propensity to recommend, revisit and make future destination choices. Such factors play a critical role in determining whether visitors would consider guided or self-led excursions. Understanding the Critical Success Factors for guided tours is essential as it makes it easier for tourism suppliers to channel efforts toward tourist satisfaction. Using a structured questionnaire, 451 tourists participating in guided tours in the Western Cape Province of South Africa were surveyed to ascertain the Critical Success Factors for guided tours. The study revealed that safety, knowledgeable guides, and pricing remain critical in the success of guided tours. The study highlights the critical factors considered essential for the success of guided excursions and the areas that require improvement. Following an analysis of the study’s findings, recommendations for effective guided tours for the tourism industry were proposed. Show less

This study considers tourists' perspectives on the Critical Success Factors for guided tours in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. Guided tours and tourism destinations are inseparable, with such guided tours often being sought after for their power to improve tourist satisfaction and envisioned to enhance visitors' Show more

Tourism is widely considered to be a viable vector for sustainable socio-economic development on the African continent due to the integrative nature of its value chain (forward and backward linkages with suppliers and service providers), as well as economic multiplier effect (tourism receipts, export products, employment creation, local economic development) (Matiza & Slabbert, 2019). However, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic-induced moratorium on domestic and international travel, tourism demand decreased significantly. The tourism industry received no income or visitors for several months, negatively influencing the value chain and labour market. It is true that a number of strategies were implemented to curb the effect of restrictions on the travel and tourism industry, such as pivoting from international to domestic tourism, allowing limited travel, providing support to the industry, etc. However, these strategies cannot guarantee a quick and complete recovery of the tourism industry. Added to this, the continuous uncertainty about the management of such a pandemic demands a future view of how to ensure that the South African tourism industry does not face the same challenges and is more prepared to ensure the sustainability and resilience of this industry. Based on a mixed-method approach, both the supply (qualitative research) and demand (quantitative research) sides of the industry were reviewed in the development of a resilience model for the tourism industry where specific actions and reactions of government, industry role players, and tourists guide the resuscitation of the industry. A two-phased model resulting from the research will yield immediate results that will direct the decisions taken by the government and the industry. Show less

Tourism is widely considered to be a viable vector for sustainable socio-economic development on the African continent due to the integrative nature of its value chain (forward and backward linkages with suppliers and service providers), as well as economic multiplier effect (tourism receipts, export products, employment Show more

The COVID-19 global pandemic has caused unprecedented socio-economic impacts and, at the same time, raised awareness of the role social and environmental sustainability needs to play in our everyday life and economic activities. Despite the significant negative impacts of the pandemic on tourism in South Africa, the crisis provides an opportunity to transform value chains towards responsible consumption and production needed for a sustainable and inclusive recovery of the sector. Rural tourism is ideally placed to respond to this. With our unique, diverse and unspoilt rural areas there are a wealth of opportunities for small, medium and micro enterprises to grow and develop sustainable tourism products in rural contexts. However, in doing so, tourism growth in rural areas needs to be decoupled from the depletion of natural resources and contribute towards livelihoods and wellbeing of communities through the growth of local economies. Within the rural tourism sector, local economic development and environmental protection should not be seen as opposing forces—they should be pursued together as aspirations that can and should be mutually reinforcing. The purpose of this study was to systematically gain an understanding of the rural tourism value chain to identify transformation opportunities for a sustainable, resource efficient and inclusive growth path post COVID-19. The study involved mapping the rural tourism value chain by identifying all the economic activities and the associated tourism enterprise service providers that lead to value creation. Further to this, the interconnected value creation relationships between the varies rural tourism activities were identified followed by the interconnected relationships that lead to socio-economic value and environmental concerns. This whole value chain analysis provided an understanding of how value is pervasive throughout the rural tourism value chain specifically the implications of this value on rural communities and the environment. Lifecycle inventories that investigated the components of each value creating rural tourism activity, enabled the identification of all the social and environmental aspects of the services provided by the rural tourism service providers. Secondary data was then used to identify hotspots (priority areas) in the value chain specifically in terms of resource use, emissions and effluents, and solid waste. The hotspots on the rural tourism value chain include: greenhouse gas (GHG) emission from vehicles travelling to and around rural areas; use of energy in rural tourism products; sourcing of food and beverage; food waste; lack of capacity in waste infrastructure to deal with solid and hazardous waste; water use; and unsustainable harvesting of natural resources. Strategic interventions that support the sustainable transition of these hotspots were determined. These interventions include aspects promoting efficient use of natural resources, SMME development and inclusivity. The strategic interventions which include short, medium and long-term priorities will need to be developed into a transition framework for action. Show less

The COVID-19 global pandemic has caused unprecedented socio-economic impacts and, at the same time, raised awareness of the role social and environmental sustainability needs to play in our everyday life and economic activities. Despite the significant negative impacts of the pandemic on tourism in South Africa, the crisis Show more

The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on the global tourism industry. Evidence indicates that the recovery will need to be both different and innovative, especially from a product (supply) point of view given the renewed attempts to increase tourists (demand) to destinations. This research report argues that the pandemic has inevitably become the catalyst to compel the tourism domain to reconsider, redefine, reimagine, reignite and reinvigorate the sector in ways that have not been conceived of before. In essence, this amounts to what we term the “remodelling” – in other words radically and fundamentally changing and altering – tourism. From a practical point of view, there is a general consensus globally that the “restarting” of tourism within this prevailing environment needs to turn to the local domestic tourism domain as the starting point. In order to elevate domestic tourism it is argued that the focus needs to be on the product (supply). The key concern of this research report is therefore to devise a manner in which the product within the context of the domestic tourism market in South Africa can be remodelled within a COVID-19 environment. This study focuses on a novel approach to the actual product within the local domestic domain. This remodelling honed in on encouraging and stimulating the development of a tourism product that takes into account other dimensions and aspects that were not conventionally regarded as part of the tourism offering. By focussing on the product, this research argues that you can remodel the supply in order to have a knock-on effect in terms of demand at a local or domestic level in order to resuscitate tourism. It is within this South African domestic tourism ambit that Show less

The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact on the global tourism industry. Evidence indicates that the recovery will need to be both different and innovative, especially from a product (supply) point of view given the renewed attempts to increase tourists (demand) to destinations. This research report argues that Show more

This chapter focuses on a case study in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, home to one of the oldest indigenous peoples in the world, the //Khomani San. It will explain how a strategy can be developed to engage with, while at the same time monitoring the inclusion of ISTs within the tourism domain. Besides creating a procedure to incorporate these community voices into the tourist experience, the relationship is addressed between ISTs, tourist guides and tourists. It will argue that a mutually beneficial relationship needs to be in place for the effective involvement of ISTs in the broader heritage tourism realm. This will transform the tourist experience and understanding and enhance the position and place of the indigenous community within the heritage tourism sector in a sustainable manner. Show less

This chapter focuses on a case study in the Northern Cape province of South Africa, home to one of the oldest indigenous peoples in the world, the //Khomani San. It will explain how a strategy can be developed to engage with, while at the same time monitoring the inclusion of ISTs within the tourism domain. Besides creating Show more

Tourism is an important economic sector in many countries worldwide. Many governments are placing a higher priority on tourism development because it leads to increased foreign exchange income and creates employment opportunities. However, the tourism sector is prone to both natural and human-made crises and risks, which invariably affect the functionality, sustainability, and competitiveness of a destination. The purpose of this paper is to provide an empirical analysis of the tourists' perceptions of crises and risks affecting the tourism sector in Durban. The paper used a mixed-method through the use of surveys and direct interviews with a sample of local, regional, and international tourists and key informants in the tourism sector within Durban. The results show that the level of risks in the city is perceived to be high and was found to have a significant impact on destination decision- choices. First-time visitors might be discouraged by mediatised risks. However, repeat visitors were likely to visit Durban since they were more conversant with the local conditions. Domestic tourists were likely to visit the destination since they have various mechanisms at their disposal to deal with perceived risks than first-time visitors. Furthermore, the results indicated that tourists are resilient to negative media coverage of risks. The study concludes that several factors influence the image of a destination, so tourist visitation cannot be affected by crises and risks alone. The study recommends a multi-pronged strategy to mitigate the impact of crises and risks on the destinations. Show less

Tourism is an important economic sector in many countries worldwide. Many governments are placing a higher priority on tourism development because it leads to increased foreign exchange income and creates employment opportunities. However, the tourism sector is prone to both natural and human-made crises and risks, which Show more

The study focused on enabling small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) survival and growth during and post the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has had devastating impacts on SMMEs that have high levels of vulnerabilities associated with the lack of resources and capacity to respond to disruptions. SMMEs are deemed to be critical to driving entrepreneurship and innovation, economic development and job creation. Supporting tourism SMMEs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic is not only important for socio-economic development, but is central to ensuring that the tourism sector is on pathways to recovery, sustainability and future resiliency. The theoretical/ conceptual framework (specifically stakeholder, post-structuralist and diffusion theories linked to technology acceptance models) that informs the research reflects the multi-disciplinary and inter-sectorial orientation. A desktop study informed the research that focused on key thematic areas: contextualising the importance of tourism and tourism SMMEs specifically, tourism SMMEs and the COVID-19 pandemic context and trends, the role of tourism SMMEs generally and in South Africa specifically, COVID-19 impacts on SMMEs, and government and tourism SMME responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. A mixed methods approach was adopted using both quantitative (404 SMME surveys) and qualitative (12 key informant interviews) methods. The main findings indicate that tourism SMME differ considerably in relation to the location operating from, turnover, the status of the business in terms of formality, number of employees, number of years in operation and activities involved in. Most SMMEs experienced severe turnover and staff losses associated with the pandemic (and in the case of Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal compounded by the social unrest as well). Restrictions on travel, social interactions and consumption (including alcohol bans) were key reasons that impacts on demand and thereby the revenues of SMMEs. The most vulnerable businesses in relation to COVID-19 pandemic impacts were micro enterprises since they have limited resources and opportunities to access support. The results suggest that tourism SMMEs are on a recovery pathway. However, some SMMEs will not recover while others are likely to take a longer time to be fully operational. Different and multiple types of SMMEs were adopting a range of tools and measures to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic that included employee changes, business/ organisational adjustments and financial changes. Accessing government and other external support was limited. Small and medium businesses located in urban areas were more likely to be aware of and access external support. This study proposes a tourism SMME recovery framework that uses Drivers, Pressures, State, Impacts and Reponses (DSPIR) model, an awareness campaign and training framework, and the Political, Economic, Socio-cultural, Technological, Ecological and Legal (PESTEL) model. A key recommendation is improvements in the conceptualisation, administration and implementation of financial support provided. Recommendations for implementation are also suggested and include coordination, activity management, knowledge management, resource management, and monitoring and evaluation. Show less

The study focused on enabling small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) survival and growth during and post the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that has had devastating impacts on SMMEs that have high levels of vulnerabilities associated with the lack of resources and capacity to respond to disruptions. SMMEs Show more