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A new book about the intersections between gender, disability, and tourism in Africa has been co-edited by Dr Erisher Woyo, Lecturer in Tourism at Manchester Metropolitan University.

The goal of this study is to assess the progress made so far in the eradication of poverty through the growth of tourism in the rural communities of three Southern African tourist destinations. In doing so, the study seeks to answer the following research questions: (1) to what extent have the countries in Southern Africa improved the livelihoods of the poor through community-based tourism? (2) Are the poor the beneficiaries of the sustainable, inclusive community-based tourism drive in Southern Africa? (3) Is community-based tourism a panacea for the eradication of poverty in rural areas of Southern African? The study uses meta-synthesis to evaluate the extent to which pro-poor tourism approaches are achieving the intended goals using Namibia, South Africa, and Zimbabwe as case studies. Findings shows that empirical studies investigating poverty alleviation and CBT are growing, especially in Botswana and Namibia, and the level of poverty seems to be declined in areas where communitybased tourism thrives.

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, hospitality organisations are expected to serve their guests in a manner that shows that they are concerned with their public health. This study examines the effect of cleanliness, technological innovations and work reorganisation on customer experience and revisit intention. Data were collected from 434 domestic tourists visiting the coastal cities in Namibia during COVID-19. Data were analysed using PLS-SEM. Results showed that redesigning hotel services through cleanliness, technological innovations and work reorganisation is critical in predicting positive customer experiences and revisit intentions. Insights generated in this study are crucial in helping managers to build loyalty among guests during COVID-19 through enhanced customer experiences. This study contributes to literature on customer experience design during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Distressed destinations have distinctive exogenous factors influencing the survival of small to medium enterprises during and postcrisis. Using COVID-19-induced crisis cases in a distressed nation, this study interrogates the underpinnings for the survival and failure of small and medium tourism enterprises during a crisis. The study adopted a qualitative research approach and a critical instance case study research design where interviews were used to obtain data from small and medium enterprise owners. Responses from participants were analyzed through thematic analysis. From the study, it emerged that the major survival nodes include strong political connections, social capital, lack of policy enforcement, and chaotic currency system and facility conversion to suit the prevailing environment. A framework that gives small and medium enterprises insights and tools to manage their businesses during a severe crisis operating environment is proposed. The article narrows the gap in crisis management and resilience literature of small to medium enterprises in developing countries.

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.

This study aims to determine the role of indigenous knowledge systems (IKS) in rejuvenating domestic tourism in the context of suppressed international tourism demand. The current study is premised on the thinking that COVID-19 has changed the way countries do tourism and domestic tourism is now recognised for its ability to help the recovery of the tourism industry post-COVID-19. The infusion of IKS in tourism strategies is seen as important in encouraging locals to visit destinations within their countries. The study is based on a review of the literature on the nexus between indigenous knowledge systems, domestic tourism and COVID-19. The study contributes to the existing literature on domestic tourism by suggesting possible solutions to the industry based on IKS. In light of recent COVID-19 events in the tourism industry at large, it is becoming extremely difficult to ignore the importance of domestic markets.

The purpose of this study is to analyse the perceptions of Comrades Marathon runners concerning the application of virtual reality technologies as a strategic response to the effects of COVID-19 in South Africa. Furthermore, the study also assesses the runners’ challenges and readiness to participate in virtualised marathons post-COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected from Comrades Marathon runners using online interviews. However, the study results showed mixed perceptions concerning virtual reality application to an outdoor sporting event like the Comrades Marathon in South Africa. Regardless of these perceptions, managers of sporting events are encouraged to make significant investments for the strategic development of virtual sports in the wake of the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Purpose Widespread technology adoption in tourism enables tourists to be active content creators, thus, influencing destination brands through co-creation. This study examines value co-creation, social commerce information sharing, and destination brand equity. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approach was applied to analyse data collected from a global online survey. Hypotheses were tested using PLS-SEM analysis. Findings Results show that destination brand equity is positively influenced by value co-creation. Additionally, social commerce information sharing mediates the relationship between value co-creation and destination brand equity. Practical implications The article adds new insights to tourism marketing by investigating value co-creation, social commerce information sharing and destination brand equity. It also offers interesting implications for destination managers to improve Vietnam as a destination brand. Originality/value This paper is among the first to test the mediating role of social commerce on value co-creation and destination brand equity.

This paper examines the extent to which COVID-19 impacted the livelihoods of game park employees in a destination with ongoing political and economic challenges. Data were collected through interviewing employees revealed employee resilience levels and strategies to save their livelihoods during a crisis. It showcased the weaknesses of organizational social capital nodes in assisting employees during their vulnerable moments. It was found that employees on short-term contracts were the most affected, as they were the first to be laid off. The paper suggests up-skilling game park employees and develops empowerment interventions that help them generate second streams of income. This coping strategy is rarely discussed in the literature of tourism crisis and disaster management.

Tourism is a critical contributor to the gross domestic product, especially among developing countries like Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe is a tourist destination that relies more on international travellers, a market which has been affected by the novel coronavirus. The purpose of this study is to establish the perceptions of domestic travellers and tourism managers on the sustainability of using domestic tourism as strategic responses to the impacts of the coronavirus. This study employs a qualitative methodology to examine the perceptions of the demand and supply side regarding the recovery options for Zimbabwean tourism post-pandemic. Online interviews with demand and supply participants were conducted. Data were analysed using thematic analysis, and the results were discussed. Results show that domestic tourism as a recovery option is unsustainable due to the challenges that Zimbabwe is facing, beyond the coronavirus.

This chapter analyses the role of government initiatives in tourism competitiveness, using data collected from suppliers operating in a distressed tourist destination. The government’s involvement in the process of tourism development, especially in developing countries, is critical. The role and participation of governments in tourism development vary from minimal to a high level of involvement. Developing economies with ongoing political and economic challenges like Zimbabwe have not been comprehensively researched, especially on the nexus between competitiveness and government initiatives. Using qualitative data from a convenience sample of 15 hospitality and tourism managers in Zimbabwe, it was found that the role of government is important for enhancing tourism competitiveness. The study concludes that a higher level of government involvement is needed for Zimbabwe to enhance competitiveness. The government should play a greater role, especially in providing an enabling environment for improved competitiveness while reducing corruption.