Search

The capturing of full benefits associated with nature-based tourism could be one of the strategies for the promotion of sustainable tourism in the Okavango Delta (OD). The general objective of this paper is to establish the perceptions of tourists in relation to consumer surplus (CS) of tourist visitation to the OD and implications on rural development. The study shows that there is substantial CS of tourist visitation in the OD. A significant proportion of tourists (53%) said that they were willing to contribute to a fund for the compensation of farmers for their loss of property resulting from their conflict with wildlife. Most tourists (90%) thought tourism should contribute to the development of local communities. They suggested that the captured CS could be used for rural development and wildlife conservation. The study recommends that the CS could be captured in the OD as entry and conservation fees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessing destination competitiveness from a tourist perspective has been limited, especially for distressed destinations such as Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe has been facing ongoing political and economic challenges for more than two decades which puts pressure on the growth of the tourism industry. However, all destinations compete in the same space for tourists' attention, forcing marketers to continuously develop strategies to enhance competitiveness and increase tourist returns and recommendations. This paper focuses on identifying competitiveness factors that influence tourists' intention to return and recommend. Based on a sample of 450 international tourists to Zimbabwe, results show that unique to a distressed destination, the residents' hospitality and friendliness is the most important predictor for the intention to return. This emphasises the role of residents in making the destination more competitive and attractive. General amenities, attractions and destination management are also significant predictors of return intentions. Tourists' intentions to recommend are largely predicted by the destination's resources. Encouraging visitors to revisit and recommend can assist a distressed destination in increasing visitor numbers on a limited marketing budget. Understanding these factors could also help managers to improve the negative image of the destination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism and destination competitiveness is a popular research topic and has become more important in recent years. This is evident from the amount of research conducted on the topic. However, competitiveness is mainly researched from a supply perspective, which solely captures the opinions of tourism experts and consequently creates the need to obtain the opinions of tourists as well. This paper provides an enhanced understanding of the opinions foreign tourists visiting South Africa have of the competitiveness of the country as tourist destination. Data was obtained by distributing questionnaires to tourists at OR Tambo International Airport who were returning home after visiting South Africa. A total of 619 usable questionnaires were obtained. The findings revealed that (1) The factors identified in this study differ from similar supply-side studies on South Africa; (2) Respondents considered unique tourism aspects the most important element of competitiveness; (3) The second most important competitiveness factor, tourism services, consists of internal factors only; (4) Safety and security is an essential competitiveness aspect regardless of the destination or research approach used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking tourism as a metaphor for the complex and unequal relationship between the Majority World and the more affluent tourist-generating countries, this paper reports research into ways in which educational tourism can facilitate mutually beneficial exchanges between 'hosts and guests'. The empirical work is based on data collected as part of an innovative field-based education project on international tourism development and management with field-based activities conducted in The Gambia. The paper aimed to show that if the exchange, both culturally and pragmatically, was to benefit not only the visiting students but also the host country, then values, cross-cultural interaction, innovation and knowledge exchange would have to play key roles to ensure that this peer-to-peer capacity-building opportunity though educational tourism would contribute to sustainable (tourism) development in the chosen locality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kenya is facing irreconcilable tensions by competing interests from conservationists, tourism developers and pastoralists. Concerns arising from the well-being of flora and, in particular, fauna by conservationists; tourists and commercial tourism; and the increasingly restricted use of traditional lands and herding animals by pastoralist indigenous communities, have populated the discourse of land use in Kenya. In this paper, we look into the varying perceptions of each group of stakeholders and seek to analyse the current narrative that gives priority to wildlife protection and the commercial exploitation of wildlife through high-end tourism development to the detriment of the rights and interests of pastoralism. As pastoral land becomes more appropriated, our analysis shows that the antagonistic relationship between conservationism, commercial tourism and pastoralism is likely to deteriorate. We, therefore, propose a more participatory model of tourism development that will allow pastoralist communities to have a voice in the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tourism is currently the leading export sector in Rwanda and is growing. The country is famous for the rare mountain gorillas of the Parc National des Volcans. This paper uses information from value chain analysis studies, complementary research and stakeholder testimonies to reveal the benefits that accrue to people living around the Park. It quantifies pro-poor income and non-financial benefits from gorilla tourism, and describes the opportunities for the poor to become economically involved in the value chains relating to accommodation, food and beverages, excursions and shopping, and the barriers to their involvement. To increase local benefits from gorilla tourism and other tourism activities around the Park, the authors recommend stimulating the activities of the private sector, increasing the number of joint venture agreements, enhancing opportunities for local employment and career progression, and improving business linkages with entrepreneurs and entertainers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many studies have been done of factors impeding Africa's development as a tourism destination, few have focused on southern Africa, and to date none have questioned whether the current visa requirements affect the region's tourism industry. This paper investigates the potential impact of the so-called Univisa, a single visa for the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region proposed by SADC and the Regional Tourism Organisation of Southern Africa. It examines the possible effect of visa requirements on a destination's accessibility and visitor numbers. Two surveys revealed that inbound and outbound tour operators were relatively positive about the benefits the proposed Univisa would bring, but were concerned about other factors hindering tourism development in the region. The study revealed the complexities of a regional visa and found that even though a regional visa might alleviate some problems, it cannot be seen as an answer to the slow development of tourism in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In Namibia the tourism industry is increasingly used for socioeconomic development. Recent government policies have highlighted the role of community-based tourism in particular, a policy tool that aims to ensure that local communities can participate actively in tourism and have a fairly high degree of control over tourism development and practices, so as to recognise and receive the benefits of tourism. For this to happen, local people need to know about tourism, tourists and the impacts of tourism in their daily environment. This paper discusses community views and local tourism awareness in two case study communities in Namibia: Katutura, in Windhoek, and King Nehale Conservancy. It concludes that making local communities aware of tourism could help them become agents in tourism development, rather than objects as is still often the case in peripheral and marginalised rural and urban communities in southern Africa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustainable tourism development is crucial to small island developing states, given that tourism is often the main pillar of their economy. Stakeholders therefore need to embrace principles of environmental, economic and social sustainability for continued success. This study assessed hoteliers' perceptions of the tourism impacts of hotel development. Existing attitudinal scales on tourism impacts were applied to the Mauritian context and measured among top and middle management of hotels. The findings, based on 90 questionnaires, indicated 11 underlying dimensions. Hoteliers on average agreed that hotel development should contribute to environmental sustainability, and have positive economic, social and cultural impacts. They were not entirely convinced that there were negative cultural and economic impacts, and they disagreed that there were negative social impacts. The paper suggests implications for tourism policy, hotel development and management of tourism impacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zimbabwe has long relied solely on abundant wildlife resources to attract tourists. The government land reform programme has, however, resulted in the significant depletion of these resources. In this paper, cultural tourism is suggested as a complementary attraction to domestic tourists. The findings of the study, based on a questionnaire administered face-to-face, indicate that to enter this market Zimbabwe will need to build capacity in areas such as personnel, where frontline staff will need to be recruited, trained and motivated to meet customer needs. In conclusion, it is mentioned that the unstable economic and political climate prevailing in Zimbabwe militates against the development of cultural attractors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a standard panel gravity equation of 175 origin/destination countries between 1995 and 2008, 43 of which are African, we identify the factors that drive African-inbound (arrivals to Africa from other continents) and within-African tourism (arrivals from and to an African country). We find that the determinants of African-inbound and within-African tourism are not all that different from global tourism flows; repeat tourism, income, distance, land area and the standard dummy variables not only drive global or OECD tourism, but also tourism within Africa, disproving the belief that African tourists ‘differ substantially’. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

How much tourism contributes to the economies of developing countries is controversial and often not measured rigorously. Focusing on Mozambique, this study presents a simple accounting tool - a tourist-focused Social Accounting Matrix - which makes it possible to estimate the economic contribution of various tourism sub-types. Multiplier analysis is applied to evaluate the strength of backward linkages from tourism to the domestic economy. The results show the sector is moderate in size but has the potential to contribute significantly to aggregate economic development. However, potential weaknesses are already evident and careful attention must be paid to the full tourism value chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although regional tourism is an important phenomenon in the developing world, it has largely been overlooked by international tourism scholars. The promotion of regional tourism can make a positive contribution to tourism development. This article stresses the importance of regional tourists to the expanding tourism economy of South Africa. It highlights the changing policy environment and suggests that critical policy interventions should be undertaken at both national and local levels of government in order to maximise the developmental impacts of promoting regional tourism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses various papers published within the issue including one on tourism investment and development in northern Botswana, another on South Africa's Kruger Park, and another on tourism awareness.

Taking a micro-level approach, this study questions whether the positive impacts of tourism often claimed at the macro level do indeed trickle down to the grassroots level to lift local people out of poverty. A case study of the local community in Barabarani village, Mto wa Mbu, Arusha, on Tanzania's popular northern tourist circuit, compares the perspectives of local residents and key decision-makers in the community. The extent to which tourism development has affected seven signifiers of poverty alleviation are examined: accessibility improvement (transport and communication), prices of goods and services, entrepreneurial training, income-generating projects, employment opportunities, general quality of life and household income. Most of the local community felt tourism development is having a positive impact and contributing to poverty alleviation, especially in terms of improving local facilities. However, there are variations, with household distance from the main road through the community being a determining factor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although many African countries have only recently started benefiting from tourism development, Zambia and Zimbabwe have a long history of promoting tourism. Since the late nineteenth century, the large number of visitors drawn to Victoria Falls has stimulated the development of one of southern Africa's earliest and most popular tourist destinations. Its value as both a commercial and spiritual site and its position on the border between Zambia have resulted in a complex, long-term transnational struggle between interested parties on both sides of the border. This article examines tourism development around Victoria Falls from a historical perspective, with attention to the efforts of colonial and post-colonial governments to promote tourism, and policies that have stifled it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on an in-depth field study in a rural area of Namibia, this article assesses the potential contribution of community-based tourism enterprises (CBTEs) to poverty alleviation and empowerment. It shows that tourism income captured locally improves rural households' livelihoods and generates linkages in the local economy. On the job learning, training sessions and extensive support by non-governmental organisations and donors are further shown to empower rural actors and unlock socioeconomic opportunities for the future. In this context, CBTEs can be characterised as pro-poor initiatives. However, this article provides counter evidence that the sustainability of such community tourism ventures is to be questioned. First, mainstreaming these projects within the competitive tourism commodity chain proves highly challenging and costly; second, communities' institutional and managerial capacity is weak and thus CBTEs' viability is limited; finally, inadequate support by donors and non-governmental organisations fails to tackle challenges faced by community tourism ventures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]