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MCom (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2016 In addition to the growth and availability of business tourism in South Africa there is also an increase in the competition for South Africa as a business tourism destination. Business tourism is an indispensable part of the tourism industry and involves all trips related to business and work purposes. Business tourism and events are often also referred to as the MICE or MCE industry and events, the meetings segment, and the convention or conference industry. Business tourism holds ample advantages for a destination, such as decreasing seasonality, catalysing short-breaks, creating jobs, and increasing destination image. Furthermore, business tourists often spend more money than leisure tourists, thereby making a bigger economic impact per capita than leisure tourists. The importance of business travel and tourism in Africa was noted by Dieke (1998:39) as early as 1998. During 2015, 4.8% of foreign arrivals to South Africa represented business tourists. This figure was greater than the percentage of business tourists in 2014 – confirming growth in South Africa’s business tourism sector. This growth stresses the necessity of knowing what contributes to competitiveness and success within business tourism. Although both internal and external factors can contribute to success, managers in South Africa can manage, implement, and control the internal factors in an attempt to enhance business tourism. However, the critical success factors (CSFs) have to be determined in order to manage them. Therefore, the goal of this study was to determine the CSFs relevant to business tourism in South Africa. To achieve this goal, two articles were written: Article 1 analysed and reviewed CSFs in the tourism industry to gain a better understanding of this management approach, and Article 2 identified the CSFs for South Africa’s business tourism. These articles were preceded by Chapter 2: a literature study contextualising and analysing destinations and the tourism industry, the business tourism sector, and management. Previous studies on CSFs within the tourism industry were also identified and listed in Chapter 2. In Article 1 (Chapter 3) a total of 52 studies were identified and used for this review paper on CSFs. The ten most significant CSFs most frequently found (by including both statistical and descriptive analyses) were human resources, finances, customer / customer-related aspects, quality, facilities, effectiveness, marketing, systems, hygiene, and product. Three of the factors that appeared among the top five of both statistical and descriptive analyses were quality, finances, and human resources. Quality and facilities were two factors that appeared among the top five in both supply and demand approaches. Furthermore, quality appeared as an important CSFs through statistical and descriptive analyses as well as across supply and demand approaches. These results helped to design the interview guidelines for Article 2. The aim of Article 2 (Chapter 4) was to conduct a qualitative survey in order to identify the CSFs of business tourism in South Africa from the supply side. This was achieved by conducting structured interviews with seven respondents who are events/meeting coordinators within the business tourism sector in South Africa. The respondents were selected based on their willingness to participate. Four themes namely finances, human resources, product, and customer-related aspects, were identified. This is the first study focusing on the business tourism sector as a whole in South Africa, thereby contributing greatly to management. Research not only provided information regarding the CSFs for business tourism in South Africa, but it also provided findings regarding the industry as a whole and about the analyses of CSFs. Understanding the CSFs for business tourism can contribute to sustainable growth and competitiveness in the business tourism sector. Masters

MSc (Pharmaceutics), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus Lipid nanocarriers (LN) for transdermal drug delivery, have gained more interest in recent years, due to their rapid penetration into the skin. Liposomes were investigated in the past with the goal of transdermal drug delivery, yet studies confirmed they were not able to achieve transdermal delivery, and should rather be considered for topical delivery. Focus moved to the ultradeformable lipid carriers due to their ability to penetrate the skin barrier without compromising the skin structure. Transferosomes are ultradeformable vesicles (UDV), which consist of a lipid and edge activator, and are the first generation of the elastic LN. Ethosomes are UDVs consisting of a lipid and ethanol, which acts as a membrane modulator, whereas transethosomes consist of a lipid and both an edge activator and ethanol. LN resemble cell organelles due to their dimensions and content, therefore, a risk of potential cytotoxicity occurs. The first step in determining the biocompatibility of these UDVs was to prepare and optimize LN formulations, including the UDVs (transferosomes, ethosomes and transethosomes) and liposomes as a control. After preparation of these vesicles, each system was characterized utilizing the standardized method of dynamic light scattering (DLS), measuring vesicle diameter, PDI and zeta potential. Quantitative image analysis, utilizing specific shape and size parameters have not been established for LN, due to being mainly used to characterize powder particles in the past. The size and shape parameters of each LN were established by means of image analysis with the Malvern Morphologi G3, including intensity mean, diameter of an equivalent circle (CE diameter), solidity, elongation, convexity, circularity and aspect ratio. The LN were fairly solid, and low levels of elongation were observed, as well as high levels of convexity. The circularity of the LN, however, were varied. It was concluded that elongation, convexity and circularity were parameters that could be utilized for characterization, complementary to DLS. The stability of each system was also observed for 90 days. The next step in determining the in vitro biocompatibility of the UDVs was to observe the effects they had on cells, by means of Thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and Trypan Blue dye exclusion assays, utilizing human malignant melanoma cells (A375) and primary epidermal keratinocytes (HaCat). Previous studies have suggested interference of the lipid content in liposomes with absorbance values as determined by the MTT assay, and it was investigated in this study whether this problem also occurred with UDVs. The effects of vesicle concentration on cell viability was investigated by means of MTT assay. A correlation between lipid content and high absorbance values was observed, therefore, confirming the interference of lipid content of the UDV with accurate cell viability results. The effects of treatment time on cell viability was also investigated, this time utilizing MTT, as well as Trypan Blue dye exclusion assay. No toxicity was observed for the A375 cells, even after the 48 h treatment period, however, cytotoxicity was observed when the HaCat cells were treated for periods longer than 48 h. Both the MTT and Trypan Blue method showed accurate results when determining cell viability, despite having different mechanisms through which they determine viability. The in vitro biocompatibility was therefore confirmed for the UDVs, although longer treatment periods may lead to cytotoxicity. Masters

MCom (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2016 The primary objective of this study was to determine service expectations of conference delegates in relation to the service delivered at Quest Conference Estate. This objective was achieved by firstly analysing service quality in terms of the expectation of service delivery prior to attending a conference and secondly analysing the actual service received whilst attending the conference and the influence thereof on the intention to return. Secondly, a literature study was conducted to review the role of service quality in the tourism industry, to identify and analyse current models that can be used to measure service quality (the SERVQUAL model was found to be the most applicable in the context of this study), to determine the service expectations and service perceptions of conference delegates at the Quest Conference Estate and to analyse the conference industry and the importance of service quality within. Thirdly the empirical results were discussed. Lastly, conclusions were drawn from the research and recommendations were made for the effective management of service delivery in a conference environment and for Quest Conference Estate, as well as for future research. From the literature study, research done by Parasuraman et al. was used as the theoretical framework for this study and the SERVQUAL model used for the exploratory phase. This model has been proven to be a valid and reliable measuring instrument of service quality and it was critical for the empirical research to be accurate and scientifically founded. The questionnaire was adapted to suit the needs of a conference service setting. The objective of the questionnaire was to measure the service quality of Quest Conference Estate. Questionnaires were given to 397 delegates who attended a conference, meeting or seminar at Quest Conference Estate. These delegates were asked to complete a section before the start of the conference on demographic information and what kind of service they expected to receive from Quest Conference Estate. The same delegates were approached after the conference, to indicate in another section of the questionnaire, their perception on the actual service received. The results were then statistically interpreted to determine the possible gap between expected service and actual service delivered. From the responses to the questionnaire an analysis on the expectations of visitors to Quest Conference Estate was done, and according to this, it was clear that the two main expectations from respondents were that the food and beverages service will be hygienic, adequate and sufficient and that the conference equipment will work properly. This was closely followed by the expectation that Quest Conference Estate will provide its guests with a safe and secure environment. It was also determined that most delegates attending a conference at Quest Conference Estate felt that they expected much more from the actual service received, but that they will still attend conferences at Quest Conference Estate in the future and will still recommend the facility to others. These results can be applied to bridge the gap between expected service and perceived service by offering the service that is actually expected from Quest Conference Estate. Most tourism businesses believe that they deliver good service but service delivery should be measured on a regular basis to determine whether it adheres to the needs of the delegates or not. Service delivery should also be offered at a consistent high level as delegates will in future expect the same and higher levels of service delivery as previously experienced. Masters

PhD (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015 Despite global growth in the disability tourism market, tourism organisations have not realised the full potential of this market due to a lack of understanding of this market segment as well as the perception that PwDs do not travel. Most facilities remain inaccessible to people with both permanent and temporary impairments. Disability movements (like the American Association of People with Disabilities, Aspies for Freedom and Handicap International) have raised their voices but not loud enough to stir action. Workshops, seminars and conferences have been held but most were talk shows with no practical implications. To date, no research-based universal accessibility framework exists for national parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe and no practical standards have been formulated to ensure accessibility to all in these parks. This study aimed to design a universal accessibility framework for national parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe. To achieve this goal one of the study's objectives was a literature review on universal accessibility and tourism. This objective is achieved in Chapter 2. The second objective was to establish the extent to which national parks in South Africa and Zimbabwe are universally accessible. Interviews were conducted with park management in both countries to meet this objective. The study also sought to establish the accessibility expectations of people with disabilities; this was attained by administering a 10-page online questionnaire to people with disabilities from across the globe. Finally, the study aimed to formulate a set of recommendations and develop a framework for universal accessibility. Using SPSS, Exploratory Factor Analysis and ANOVAs were performed in order to analyse and interpret data. Descriptive statistics were also used. The Alpha values and mean inter-item correlations confirmed the reliability and internal consistency of the data. Eleven factors were identified from the factor analysis: transport; parking and entrance; the reception area; restrooms; bird watching and game drives; trails; information accessibility; interpretation; water-based activities; accommodation and dining as well as campsites. The results revealed that while people with disabilities want all areas to be accessible, specific facilities were singled out in line with particular disabilities. People with mobility impairments were more worried about transport and parking than people with other impairments. They were also concerned about the accessibility of bird watching and game viewing as well as accommodation and dining than were people with hearing and visual impairments. People with hearing impairments placed much high value on the accessibility of the reception area than those with mobility and visual impairments. Interesting to note was the fact that people with visual impairments did not regard accessible restrooms as very important. Most importantly, all people with disabilities were strongly against steps and staircases in all facilities since they are a serious barrier to accessibility regardless of type of disability. They also attach more value to how they are treated when they visit national parks. This was identified as more important than physical access. A universal accessibility framework was developed based on the literature and research findings. This framework will go a long way in assisting policy makers to address accessibility issues in national parks and the tourism sector in general. Doctoral

MA (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015 The tourism industry is one of the biggest economic contributors in South Africa and it is predicted that the industry will grow significantly over the years to come. This growth pressures South Africa to stay competitive and adhere to the needs of the visitors. The latter being one of the core functions of any tourism establishment. Labour structures in the tourism industry are constantly changing and to deliver quality products, employees should be well skilled and prepared for the demands of the industry. The accommodation sector, one of the biggest sectors in the tourism industry, provides a variety of services to tourists when visiting this country. It was determined in the literature review that the skills needed by an accommodation manager, to provide the expected services include flexibility, people skills, the ability to train other employees and the ability to explore the ever changing needs of the tourist. Higher education organisations in South Africa educate potential tourism employees in a variety of skills and knowledge. However, some employees are still of the opinion that these students are not adequately prepared for the demands of the industry and therefore complain. Added to this, there is very little communication between the industry and higher education organisations. Therefore the tourism industry feels that students are not employable which creates challenges for students, higher education organisations and the tourism industry. Education and skills development should contribute directly to the economic growth of South Africa and the government, a very important role player in the tourism industry, encourages education opportunities in South Africa. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine, through industry participitation, what the management skills required within graded establishments in South Africa are. To achieve this aim, the following objectives were set: To analyse the literature available regarding the managerial theories, managerial levels, managerial processes and universal skills needed by managers, to analyse the tourism industry and hospitality sector, identify the important role played by managerial skills within this sector and to identify higher education programmes available in South Africa that focus specifically on managerial skills development for the accommodation sector. Thirdly, to collect and analyse the perceptions of accommodation owners and managers regarding the managerial skills and knowledge required by graduate managerial employees and then to draw conclusions and make recommendations to higher education organisations to adapt tourism management qualification programmes. This was achieved by making use of a quantitative research method by means of self-administered questionnaires, distributed to 254 Tourism Grading Counsil of South Africa’s (TGCSA) graded establishment managers in the nine (9) provinces of South Africa. The data, gathered from the questionnaire, was captured electronically by an online programme, SurveyMonkey. The data was then processed by means of SPSS and analysed. The descriptive results revealed that most of the responding accommodation establishments do employ graduates, but these graduates have to display certain characteristics. The top three characteristics for an accommodation manager included trustworthiness, responsibility and motivation in that order. Being ambitious, intelligent and sensitive rated the lowest. A factor analysis revealed that there are 10 important factors that contributes to being an effective accommodation manager. These skills included: 1) Personal characteristics, 2) Forecasting skills, 3) Strategic management skills, 4) Human resource skills, 5) Problem solving and crisis management skills, 6) Communication skills, 7) Information technology skills, 8) Customer service skills, 9) Financial skills and 10) Marketing skills. The comparisons (by means of ANOVA’s, t-tests and spearman rank order correlations) between skills needed by an accommodation manager and selected business characteristics (the province in which the accommodation establishment is located, the grading status, the size, the number of employees and the years that the accommodation establishment has been in operation) are unique to this study and various significant differences were identified. Comparisons have also been done between skills needed by an accommodation manager and selected personal characteristics (age, current position, duration of employment, level of higher education and the necessity of practical skills before employment of the respondent) which also revealed significant differences. The highest number of significant differences was identified for larger establishments, age, position of the respondents and the duration of employment. The results of this study can be used by higher education organisations to adapt their current tourism management qualifications, and by accommodation establishments to understand the training needs of employees. It did however voice the concerns of industry role players when it comes to new graduates and their employability. Masters

Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references.