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Transitions to low-carbon energy are central to sustainability transitions, with electricity being a pressing current concern both in South Africa and globally. Economic, social, institutional, and political factors often make transitioning to renewable electricity particularly complex. In this article, we examine electricity transitions in tourism from a global South context, combining evolutionary economic geography (EEG) concepts with the multi-level perspective (MLP). Our findings point to strong exogenous lock-in factors working against an electricity transition in South African tourism. A historic dependence on coal, along with complex place-based factors lock the country into a carbon-intensive electricity path at the national electricity infrastructure level. In turn, these complexities adversely affect an electricity transition in the tourism sector. However, energy policy change along with innovation by tourism actors is emergent stimuli for creating low-carbon electricity paths. More specifically, recent climate change mitigation policies, the increasing unreliability of grid electricity, and legislative reforms are significant factors encouraging the renewal of the electricity system. At the same time, it is becoming more cost-effective for businesses, including tourism establishments, to install renewables. The South African case contributes to the emerging body of literature on sustainability transitions in tourism. It does this by showing that to achieve a just energy transition, proper appraisal of path-dependent structural challenges is needed to understand the nature and levels of change required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine customer misbehaviour in the hospitality sector during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: The study draws on a cross-sectional survey of employees in the Scottish hospitality sector highlighting customer misbehaviour as a key concern during the pandemic. Prevalent types of abuse and harassment experienced are outlined along with employee and management responses to incidents of misbehaviour. Findings: Verbal abuse and sexual harassment from customers are the most prevalent types of misbehaviour either experienced or witnessed by respondents. Customer misbehaviour is commonly thought of as "part of the job" and therefore "not a big deal". Managers, largely, expect workers to tolerate abusive behaviours from customers and do not take reports of incidents seriously. Practical implications: Transformational managers need to foster workplace well-being with a focus on physical and psychological safety. Recognition of the issue and greater support for victims are furthermore required at an industry level and on the policy front. Social implications: The research points to an uncomfortable reality in the service economy that needs to be confronted by society. It has, therefore, important implications for key stakeholders in ensuring fair, dignified and safe hospitality workplaces. Originality/value: Customer misbehaviour is reportedly worsening in times of COVID-19 as demonstrated by this study. Despite rhetoric that abuse and harassment are not tolerated, dismissive attitudes from managers – who expect workers to tolerate abusive behaviour – and employee silence about incidents lead the authors to argue that the failure to acknowledge and address this issue constitutes a form of "social washing" in hospitality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional rural livelihoods are disappearing due to natural resource decline, climate pressure and, also modernization. This study explores livelihood diversification from primary economic activities into tourism employment in rural communities. We examine the developmental role of tourism in areas where traditional activities, in this case fishing, have declined and tourism is growing. This article presents the findings of two case studies: the coastal communities of Padstow (UK) and Paternoster (South Africa). The approach is qualitative and draws on sustainable livelihoods and social well-being notions to examine how affected people "cope with change" with respect to tourism diversification, and individual and community well-being. While the socioeconomic and sociopolitical contexts in the two research sites differ, the findings show that narratives about belonging and identity feature prominently with respect to fishing livelihoods in both cases. Small-scale fishing, perceived as a way of life for fishers, is under threat in both areas, yet there is limited evidence of concerted efforts to plan and manage the potential diversification processes into tourism. Nonetheless, we observe that tourism does provide some opportunities for fishing-dependent communities and outline some avenues for stronger collaboration, particularly by focusing on culinary tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the literature on COVID-19 is expanding, particularly in relation to crisis management responses pursued by large tourism enterprises, currently few studies exist on the responses of small tourism firms and more specifically of the crisis management practices of small and microaccommodation establishments. The aim in this study is to investigate the business management responses of small tourism firms to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis and restrictions in South Africa. Themes of concern are whether enterprises have been able to sustain operations and adopt certain coping mechanisms or management strategies to mitigate the pandemic's impact. The article reports on an interview survey of small and microenterprises engaged in accommodation services (N = 75) in South Africa under lockdown restrictions as a means of assessing the responses and coping strategies during an unprecedented crisis of this core component of the country's tourism industry. Among key findings are that small and microlodging firms that have suffered severe financial losses because of the COVID-19 shock have few viable mechanisms to cope with the impact of the crisis and that government support to aid recovery has been insufficient in South Africa. This research contributes to the limited body of international scholarship that examines how small and microaccommodation firms, a major group and contributor of many economies, are navigating the unprecedented COVID-19 environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Johannesburg, South Africa's economic heartland and major tourist destination, has long been seen as a breeding ground for crime and is commonly perceived as unsafe. The prevalence of crime in Johannesburg, and the associated negative public perceptions, are evidenced to impact travel behaviour stemming visitor flows. Regardless of this, urban tourism has grown in Johannesburg over the last decade and our findings on visitor perceptions in three main tourism precincts show that international tourists regard tourism spaces as relatively safe to visit. Tourists in our study return and readily recommend a visit to Johannesburg to others. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation is increasingly recognized as a potent policy tool for addressing the structural problems that characterize poverty in marginalized rural communities. In what ways should governments in developing countries be involved in supporting innovation to achieve inclusive development objectives? This special issue brings together key insights from different facets of rural transformation programmes in the global South, with the view to shed light on the nature and outcomes of state involvement. The contributions to this volume highlight three domains in which the state plays a pivotal role in spurring inclusive rural transformation: promoting agricultural innovation in Algeria and Vietnam, supporting rural capacity building in South Africa and Peru, and the provision of pro-poor innovations for rural social development in India and Argentina. In all three domains, government support coupled with greater participation of local community members in the planning and implementation of innovative projects proved to produce greater potential for success. The contributions also emphasize the pivotal role that the state must play in supporting local capability building and bridging knowledge gaps between innovation producers and rural user communities, in order to facilitate local absorption of external technological solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tourism sector is routinely offered as an option to grow employment in South Africa. Yet, questions need to be asked about the nature of employment in tourism, the state of education and skills training in the sector and its prospects for youth. Drawing on a national study, this paper interrogates tourism education and skills training issues in relation to youth employment and development. The findings reveal that youth in the sector find themselves in precarious employment: they typically have low-level skills, do not continue their education or training after being employed and have few career progression options. At the same time, a mismatch between the outcomes of education and skills training in tourism and the requirements of the industry come to the fore. Enhanced skills development and the creation of pathways for learning; labour market access and upward career progression are needed to advance youth in tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slum tourism as a topic of investigation has seen significant growth since the beginning of this decade with increasing theoretical and empirical depth. With this growth, some inconsistencies in conceptual framing and use of terminology have emerged. The purpose of this paper is to argue for township tourism in Soweto to be regarded as a form of heritage tourism rather than slum tourism—a notion which has entered the township tourism literature in recent years. This argument is presented through two sections of analysis and debate, using Vilakazi precinct in Soweto as a case study. Firstly, the paper analyses the emergence of township tourism as an academic focus in the literature and how it came to be classified as slum tourism, considering definitional conundrums. Various South African authors emphasise the struggle heritage character of township tourism. Secondly, the historical development of townships and tourism in these areas are interrogated. The empirical data offer the perspectives on tourism in their area from: (a) residents living in and around Vilakazi Street; and (b) tourists visiting the Vilakazi precinct. The analysis reveals that neither residents nor visitors consider the Vilakazi precinct or the larger area of Orlando West as a slum; rather they perceive tourism is the area to be connected to its struggle heritage. We accordingly stress that the term 'slum tourism' to describe township tourism in Soweto is inaccurate and is inconsistent with the views not only of residents and visitors, but also South African authors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africa's National Development Plan entrenches the importance of a capable developmental state for the country's social and economic development. Likewise, the potential of science, technology and innovation to address development challenges is emphasised. The developmental state and inclusive innovation ideas have been in and out of the policy agenda since 1996 but have recently gained renewed policy attention. As part of an inclusive innovation for development agenda, the Department of Science and Technology facilitated the demonstration of a suite of basic service innovations in 'distressed' municipalities. This paper, using a mixed-methods approach, draws on the assessment of these demonstrations to reflect on key features which come to the fore in both the developmental state and inclusive innovation literature as crucial for success. In order to enjoy a measure of success in terms of developmental states and inclusive innovation for development, similar conditions are necessary: the encouragement and fostering of active participation by all stakeholders; sufficient financial resources and human capabilities at all levels; and strong collaborative and cohesive networks with similar purposes in mind. Once these form part of practice we are likely to see better implementation of inclusive innovation for development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamics of local innovation networking are under-researched in the global South at large. While the concept of a National Innovation System (NIS) has existed in the South African policy domain for two decades, there is little, if any, empirical evidence of innovation networking at the local level. This paper interrogates the spatiality of network linkages and the networking behaviour of innovative enterprises in rural, as well as urban settings in South Africa. This research, drawn from two unrelated studies, demonstrates that innovative enterprises rely on a broad network of actors. Although local network embeddedness has a particular function, external knowledge is significant for novel innovation. A lack of local governmental support for innovation is also observed. The research provides compelling insights from the South. It is argued the notion of multi-scalar innovation networks is valid for South Africa. This is an alternative view on innovation networking in peripheral areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the nature of networking and learning by tourism firms in relation to accessing knowledge for innovation. In particular, the nature of tourism learning and networking, geography of networking linkages, and systemic characteristics of relationships between tourism firms, government agencies, higher education institutions, and other organisations in the Western Cape tourism system are examined. The analysis draws on 182 tourism firm, tourism system, and contextual interviews. This investigation demonstrates that even though tourism firms mostly use internal resources for innovation, external, non-local knowledge is significant for enhancing novel innovation. It is disclosed that whilst local network linkages are dense, loose, and of importance for business and marketing purposes, extra-regional network relationships are imperative for learning in relation to innovation. As further observed, network linkages between local and regional actors for supporting tourism innovation in the Western Cape are generally weak which points to the underdevelopment of local and regional innovation networks or systems. The paper provides planning recommendations for enhancing the competitiveness of tourism firms towards fostering development and growth in the regional tourism economy. Specifically, support for stimulating learning networks as well as strengthening systemic relationships in the Western Cape tourism system are recommended. It is underscored that strategic relationships with non-local partners need to be nurtured towards fostering tourism innovation and enhancing regional competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Innovation is regarded as significant for the competitiveness of tourism firms. Yet, innovation in services, and also tourism, remain underresearched, especially in the context of the global South. This article draws on a cross-sectoral, firm-level survey of tourism innovation in the Western Cape region of South Africa, which determined that innovation by tourism firms is widespread, albeit predominantly incremental in character. This article interrogates the relationships between innovation and firm survival, as a proxy for competitiveness, and considers firm size as a key determinant of tourism innovation. In addition, the motivators and drivers of tourism innovation are analyzed. The Western Cape investigation reveals that innovation is part of a deliberate strategy for competitiveness by dynamic tourism firms. Further motivations comprise enhancing efficiency and productivity, ensuring survival, and behaving ethically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A research gap exists for the conceptual strengthening, measurement and analysis of innovation at the tourism firm and systems levels, especially in the context of the global South. This paper investigates tourism innovation in the Western Cape region of South Africa. In particular, the nature and types of innovation by tourism firms and system actors are interrogated. It is revealed that innovation by tourism firms is widespread, albeit is largely incremental in nature. The main contribution of this research is the development of an expanded evidence-based tourism innovation typology from a cross-sectoral survey of tourism firms and qualitative interviews undertaken with tourism system actors. In addition, recommendations are provided regarding measurement of innovation in tourism. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, innovation has become a critical parameter for contemporary regional and local development policy in the global North. In South African debates about regional and local development policy issues of innovation rarely are discussed and the country's most recent policy documents and frameworks around local economic development (LED) make no mention or acknowledgement of issues around innovation. This disconnect between South Africa's national innovation policies and those around regional and local development planning is under review as the country's Department of Science and Technology (DST) with responsibility for innovation policy in the country, released a new strategy document intended to inform the DST's involvement in the policy space of LED with the mandate of strengthening local systems of innovation and production in a systemic and systematic manner. It is argued that in terms of LED policy and practice across the global South this South African policy document represents a potential benchmark policy intervention which merits scrutiny and discussion. The aim is to examine the shift in national policy thinking towards the use and role of innovation for driving economic and social change in the marginalised spaces of South Africa. Against a background of debates around national, regional and local systems of innovation in the global South and of the emergence of new perspectives around the potential of innovation to contribute to poverty reduction, job creation and LED a critical review is provided of new policy directions and strategic proposals for the application of innovation to drive economic and social change in South Africa's marginalised spaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creative tourism is a growing field of inquiry in tourism studies and engages creative industry, creative city and urban regeneration debates. This research identifies creative experience-based tourism as an example of novel tourism product innovation in Cape Town. Creative spectacles and creative spaces in the Cape Town context are also investigated. Key findings are that creative experience-based tourism is a small, but emerging urban tourism niche market with considerable growth potential in Cape Town; creative events are well developed currently in Cape Town but as yet poorly integrated with the wider tourism destination mix as well as creative industry initiatives, and whilst creative clusters are emerging in Cape Town, minimal development of creative urban spaces for tourism purposes is evident. Critical policy issues emerging from this analysis surround recommendations for fostering creative networks, stimulating demand for creative tourism, developing a comprehensive creative tourism product mix, planning for creative precinct development, and integrating creative tourism into the Cape Town destination image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Township tourism has emerged as an important part of the urban tourism product in post-1994 South Africa. Approximately, 25% of all international tourists visiting Cape Town participate in township tours. However, in recent years, doubts about personal safety have cast a negative light on the township tourism offering. Consideration regarding tourist safety and security, therefore, is important since it may have implications for the future growth and development of this market. The aim of this study was to investigate tourists' perceptions of safety and security whilst on a township tour. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 317 tourists who participated in township tours in the Greater Cape Town area. The study found that the majority (73%) of respondents felt safe whilst on a township tour. Eighty-three percent of those surveyed were satisfied with the township tour that they went on, whilst 82% of respondents said that they would recommend a township tour. This paper argues that there is a latent demand for culture-led, experience-based township tourism product development to create more opportunities for entrepreneurship and local economic development. Further recommendations for policymakers and tour operators are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creative industries are increasingly attracting the interest of academics and policymakers around the world. Policy enthusiasm is also directed in many countries towards developing knowledge-intensive or high-technology sectors. The new media sector is considered an innovative growth sector which holds potential for emerging countries. This case study examines innovation in new media firms situated in Cape Town. Theoretically, creative industries are linked to post-industrial and knowledge-based economies and the growth of services, and innovation in high-technology small and medium enterprises is also considered. This paper provides micro data regarding the innovation activities of new media firms based on purposive interviews. The study found that these firms are dynamic in terms of technological innovation. However, their innovation activities tend to be incremental and localised. Furthermore, various barriers limit their innovation enhancement and growth prospects. Public policy can support new media firms in terms of access to new business development funding and programmes supporting small enterprise innovation, improved design education and network opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creative industries are often regarded as avenues for urban regeneration, economic development and job creation. The growth of creative industries is linked to post-Fordist economic restructuring in cities. As a result, the economic base of cities has moved away from manufacturing to knowledge-intensive and service-based industries. While countries in the Global South generally contribute marginally to the global economy, some countries are seeking to enhance their competitiveness in the global environment and gain from opportunities presented by the creative economy. Policymakers in the Global South have therefore adopted creative industry policies, and often link these to social development outcomes. However, this presents various challenges. The literature indicates that creative industries can exacerbate existing inequalities and marginalise working class residents. Furthermore, the benefits of creative urban renewal do not necessarily reach poor communities. This paper contributes to debates regarding the role of creative industries in the urban economies of cities in the Global South. This reflects on the impacts of creative urban renewal, and the implications for social development and policy. It also considers recent development and challenges around creative industry promotion in Cape Town, with specific reference to the city-fringe neighbourhood of Woodstock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the relationship between innovation activity and firm size in the South African context. Based on data from the National Innovation Survey (2002-2004) the paper looks in particular at the nature of innovation by small, medium- and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs). The main finding is that the innovation rate of SMMEs is relatively high, with small enterprises reporting the highest innovation rate. A limited dependent variable regression, however, determines a negative statistically significant relationship between the probability to innovate and firm size. SMMEs are therefore not more innovative than large enterprises in South Africa. This paper identifies innovative entrepreneurs and micro enterprises as important foci for entrepreneurship and innovation policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is increasingly regarded as a viable avenue for local economic development. Small towns on the urban fringe have benefitted from tourism development in South Africa, the town of Parys being one of them. Parys has experienced tourism development over the past few years which has resulted in local economic growth, as especially reflected in the trade industry, amidst the decline of sectors such as manufacturing and mining. The study focusses on the factors that gave rise to the development of tourism in this town, as well as on opportunities and barriers to further development. A profile of tourism, small, medium and micro enterprises, is provided along with other main findings regarding the nature of the tourism industry in the area which includes the unique selling points of the area, visitor characteristics, demand and target market segments. Strategic development initiatives, in the light of the findings, recommend for the future development of the tourism industry in the area to include tourism product development focussed on attractions; the identification of key market segments such as budget tourists and the family market; destination and product marketing; investment in tourism infrastructure and ensuring the responsible management of tourism development in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Township tourism in South Africa has grown in popularity since 1994 and is considered by some to be an appropriate mechanism for stimulating local economic development. This paper suggests, however, that it is not necessarily a viable or responsible development option, since it does not automatically ensure pro-poor benefits or enhance community development. Primary research conducted in Soweto to understand visitor demand and tourism stakeholder perspectives suggests there is a demand for responsible tourism in townships. The paper contributes to South African debates about the developmental role of tourism, township tourism and local economic development, responsible tourism, and the related policy implications. It calls for responsible township tourism development in which local authorities play a vital role and recommends the development of township tourism attractions, with a focus on culture and heritage, to create unique visitor experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Innovation in High-Technology SMMEs: The Case of the New Media Sector in Cape Town" is presented.