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Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal watter kultuurelemente by 'n Afrikanerkultuur-besienswaardigheid in Suid-Afrika aangebied moet word. Die empiriese studie het 'n verkennende navorsingsontwerp gevolg en is uitgevoer deur die kwalitatiewe metode te volg, met 15 navorsingsdeelnemers. 'n Semi-gestruktureerde onderhoudskedule is gebruik om vrae aan die navorsingsdeelnemers te stel. Die onderhoudskedule het hoofsaaklik bestaan uit oop-einde vrae en het verband gehou met demografiese inligting, Afrikaner-kultuurelemente en kreatiewe beginsels van toerisme. Die resultate het getoon dat die navorsingsdeelnemers se belangrikste Afrikaner-kultuurelemente die volgende is: geskiedenis, taal, musiek en dans, kos en tradisionele leefwyse. Die aanbevelings van die studie is gemik op bemarkers en bestuurders van bestaande of voornemende Mrikanerkultuur-besienswaardighede, akademici en die algemene publiek, met 'n fokus op Afrikanerkultuurtoerisme. Culture and heritage contribute to South Africa S competitiveness as a tourism destination. By focusing on South Africa's cultural diversity as a unique competitive factor, more tourists can be reached, thereby increasing the impact of South Africa's attraction as a tourist destination. However, cultural tourism is challenging to manage because cultural attractions vary in popularity and attract different types of tourists who want to experience culture differently. Although research has already been done in South Africa to promote cultural tourism, a gap in the literature still needs to be bridged. There is a particular gap in the literature on Afrikaner culture tourism. This study intended to determine which cultural elements attract tourists to Afrikaner cultural attractions. Cultural elements can be depicted and presented at a cultural attraction to give a better understanding of the culture in question. Cultural elements can be evaluated according to the importance of the element within the culture and what contribution the element makes to the cultural attraction. Cultural elements can be divided between tangible and non-tangible cultural elements. Tangible cultural elements can be moving or static but can be physically touched, such as, for example, monuments and clothing. Non-tangible cultural elements cannot be handled but transmit cultures, such as music and language. This study aimed to perform an empirical analysis to determine which cultural elements should be presented at an Afrikaner cultural attraction in South Africa. The empirical study consisted of an exploratory research design. It was executed by employing the qualitative method, involving 15 research participants who were followers of six Afrikaner cultural attractions on Facebook websites. A semi-structured interview schedule was used to put questions to the research participants. The interview schedule comprised mainly open-ended questions on demographic information, Afrikaner cultural elements and creative principles of tourism. The results were captured via voice recordings, transcribed into Word and categorised in themes and sub-themes according to Creswell's six data analysis steps. With regard to the demographic profile, most participants were men, with an average age of 44. A high level of education was evident in the respondents. It was clear from the results that the 15 participants visited Afrikaner cultural attractions many times, while 80% of the participants recently visited the Voortrekker Monument. Orania is the most popular Afrikaner cultural attraction for the participants. From participants' answers, the term "cultural elements" can be seen as shared cultural goods with which individuals within a culture can relate and give meaning to the culture because it is essential and unique. The study filled a gap by determining that tourists want to experience the following cultural elements at an Afrikaner cultural attraction: history, language, music and dance, food, traditional way of life, faith, monuments, traditions, traditional clothing, cultural festivals, handicrafts, artefacts and archaeological remains, cultural values, art, heroes, architecture and traditional houses. Furthermore, the researchers determined the five most important Afrikaner cultural elements: history, language, music and dance, food and the traditional way of life. Within the history-culture element, tourists want to learn about Afrikaner history, from the European heritage to today, the Great Trek and how Afrikaners stand together, and the wars and battlefields of Afrikaner history. The language-culture element's presentation must teach tourists about the origins of Afrikaans; specific Afrikaans words, and Afrikaans literature and drama. The Music and Dance cultural element of the Afrikaner culture must focus on folk plays and folk songs and present contemporary "sokkie" and Afrikaans music for tourists. During their experience of the Afrikaner food culture element, tourists want to learn about traditional foods and ways of food preparation, such as biltong, chutney, koeksisters, bobotie and barbecued meat. According to the participants, the traditional way of life of the Afrikaner must, for tourists, showcase the social and community life, such as storytelling and togetherness around meals, as well as the outdoor life, such as farming activities. The study's recommendations are aimed at marketers and managers of existing or prospective Afrikaner cultural attractions, academics, and the general public, focusing on Afrikaner cultural tourism. The study filled a gap by determining the most important Afrikaner cultural elements for tourists to experience at an Afrikaner cultural attraction. The literature contribution can also be valuable in practice because it is the first study to offer guidelines as to which Afrikaner cultural elements should be the focus of destination and attraction managers and marketers. The study also recommends that cultural attractions use technology to attract and retain a younger market. It is also essential that attractions make a more significant investment in the training of their staff, seeing that the successful presentation of especially the non-tangible elements is largely linked to the quality training of staff. The study also emphasises that combining cultural and food experiences can give an attraction a competitive advantage. Furthermore, the study's contribution does not have to be limited to Afrikaner culture because unique cultural elements also exist within every other cultural context.

With the growth in the tourism industry, it is a priority of government to develop quality Learnerships and Internships in South Africa to improve skills and the qualifications of the tourism workforce. Employers are increasingly conscious of the value for money from their investments in training and are demanding that training be more deliberately aligned with the strategic needs of their organisations. However, the tourism industry still complains that learners are not adequately prepared for the workplace and the learners believe that they have sufficient knowledge to meet the needs of the industry. The purpose of this research was to analyse the skills expectations of learners versus employers with reference to the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality and Sport SETA (CATHSSETA). This was achieved by conducting quantitative research by means of a structured questionnaire that was distributed to 217 employers and 1023 learners on the CATHSSETA database. Various significant differences between skills expected by employers and those presented by learners were found. Employers expect higher levels of competence than those which learners in the CATHSSETA programme can deliver. More specifically, employers indicate that learners lack skills in handling customers professionally and being proactive in solving problems. It is thus critical to review current vocational training programmes with the input of all relevant role players in South Africa if this country is serious about the tourism industry.Keywords: Learners, employers, internships, learnerships, tourism skills.

Grading and price in the accommodation sector of South Africa This article analyses the relationship between grading and price in the accommodation sector in South Africa. The literature review investigates whether the accommodation grading system is a good indicator of accommodation quality, and whether tourists get what they are paying for. The research was conducted in cooperation with the major role players in the accommodation sector in South Africa, namely the South African Tourism Service Association, the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa and the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa. The results show a strong correlation between the grading of the accommodation and price. This confirms that managers also consider “stars” as symbols of the type of quality which they can use to communicate a “value for money” experience when tourists choose accommodation at a certain price. This article analyses the relationship between grading and price in the accommodation sector in South Africa. The literature review investigates whether the accommodation grading system is a good indicator of accommodation quality, and whether tourists get what they are paying for. The research was conducted in cooperation with the major role players in the accommodation sector in South Africa, namely the South African Tourism Service Association, the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa and the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa. The results show a strong correlation between the grading of the accommodation and price. This confirms that managers also consider “stars” as symbols of the type of quality which they can use to communicate a “value for money” experience when tourists choose accommodation at a certain price. Opsomming: Gradering en prys: ’n gevallestudie in die Suid-Afrikaanse akkommodasie-sektor Hierdie artikel fokus op ’n analise van die verhouding tussen gradering en prys in die akkommodasie-sektor in Suid-Afrika. Die navorsing is uitgevoer in samewerking met die hoofrolspelers in die akkommodasie-sektor naamlik SATSA (South African Tourism Service Association), FEDHASA (Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa) en TGCSA (Tourism Grading Council of South Africa). Spearman Rank-korrelasie is uitgevoer en die resultate toon ’n sterk korrelasie tussen die gradering van die akkommodasie en prys. Dit bevestig dat bestuurders “sterre” as simbole van die tipe gehalte wat hulle kan aanwend om ’n “waarde-vir-geld”-ervaring aan te dui wanneer toeriste akkommodasie teen ’n bepaalde prys kies. http://apps.ufs.ac.za/journals/dl/system/docs/19/135/1103/Du%20PlessisAndSaayman_03-05.pdf

Thesis (Ph.D. (Tourism))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010 Future growth in the tourism industry will need to take factors influencing the competitiveness of a destination into consideration. Price is an important factor in competitiveness and is considered by some researchers to be the most important when arguing that price is the factor that generates revenue. However, price is a very complex issue and is determined by a variety of demand and supply factors. These factors also differ from industry to industry. Hence managers and entrepreneurs are faced with a difficult task, and without necessary guidelines in the pricing of accommodation, "price following" could be a result and may jeopardise the competitive advantage, when one takes the current global financial crisis into consideration. In view of the above it was the aim of this study to develop a pricing framework for the South African accommodation market. To achieve this aim, the following objectives were set: to determine the factors that play a role in the pricing of accommodation establishments; to determine the relationship between price and grading in the accommodation sector; and lastly to establish pricing guidelines for graded hotels and guesthouses in South Africa. In order to generate proper data, a survey was conducted at various South African accommodation establishments that were obtained from the databases of the three major associations in the accommodation sector, namely SATSA (South African Tourism Service Association), FEDHASA (Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa) and TGCSA (Tourism Grading Council of South Africa). 2288 questionnaires were sent out via e-mail and 247 completed questionnaires were received back. A principal component factor analysis was performed. This resulted in ten factors, namely environmental qualities, amenities, image, management factor, positioning, quality service factor, infrastructure service factor, location, marketing and product quality factor. The main results revealed that the most important factors in pricing are service quality, image and product quality. To investigate the relationship between grading and price, Spearman rank correlation was conducted and the results show a strong correlation between the grading of the accommodation and the price. This confirms that managers also consider "stars" as symbols of the type of quality which they can use to communicate a "value for money" experience when tourists choose accommodation at a certain price. In order to provide pricing guidelines for South African managers and entrepreneurs, the significance of mean price differences of star classification was tested and hotels and guesthouses were compared using an independent t-test. The results show a significant difference between the prices of hotels and guesthouses and especially in the five star categories. The results of this study can be used to assist managers in pricing and in obtaining a better competitive position in the industry, with revised management structures and marketing campaigns. The relationship between grading and price highlights the importance of grading in the minds of tourists. The research further suggests a twenty percent discrepancy between prices of the different star categories, indicating healthy competition between industry players. These pricing guidelines can sustain competitiveness with growing profitability. The most important contribution lies in the development of a pricing framework using different approaches and methods from the supply side in South Africa and can therefore be seen as a benchmark in the South African accommodation market research. The framework could assist managers and entrepreneurs to achieve the primary objectives, namely to generate a profit, establish a competitive advantage and sustain both. The three forces contribute to the constant working between entrepreneurship, effective management and providing value for money. Training of tourism managers on the pricing process, price factors, price strategies, grading, demands of domestic and international tourists and quality control is important to establish a competitive price for sustainability. Doctoral

The purpose of this study was to determine the competitive advantage of South Africa as a tourist destination. In order to achieve this goal, it was firstly necessary to determine the meaning of global competitiveness and its effect on the tourism industry. In the quest to reveal the key factors in global competitiveness, the literature study looked at the findings and discussions of mainly Porter (1990) and Ritchie and Crouch (1993). The SWOT analysis on South Africa's tourism situation and the questionnaire (N=150) determined the importance of the factors identified in the literature and the role these factors play in the competitiveness of South Africa as a tourist destination. The research indicated the five most important factors, namely safety, accessibility, scenery, attractions and accommodation playing a determining role in the choice of a tourist destination. The research further indicates that South Africa finds itself in a good position to be globally competitive, with its uniqueness lying in factors such as its geographical features, favourable climate, magnificent scenery, value for money, good food, interesting historical and cultural resources and a good foreign exchange rate. The weaknesses of South Africa (safety, public transport and marketing) have the ability of being changed into opportunities in the striving to become one of the world's top tourist destinations. One of the most important findings was that globalisation gives rise to new policies, marketing strategies and product development, which encourage competitiveness. The achievement of a competitive advantage requires an understanding and knowledge of the key factors that play a role in global competitiveness. A positive future vision for the tourism industry depends on the involvement of the government and the interaction of all the different key players to improve and developed South Africa's competitiveness as a tourist destination. Thesis (M.A.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002.

Thesis (M.A.)--Potchefstroom University for Christian Higher Education, 2002. The purpose of this study was to determine the competitive advantage of South Africa as a tourist destination. In order to achieve this goal, it was firstly necessary to determine the meaning of global competitiveness and its effect on the tourism industry. In the quest to reveal the key factors in global competitiveness, the literature study looked at the findings and discussions of mainly Porter (1990) and Ritchie and Crouch (1993). The SWOT analysis on South Africa's tourism situation and the questionnaire (N=150) determined the importance of the factors identified in the literature and the role these factors play in the competitiveness of South Africa as a tourist destination. The research indicated the five most important factors, namely safety, accessibility, scenery, attractions and accommodation playing a determining role in the choice of a tourist destination. The research further indicates that South Africa finds itself in a good position to be globally competitive, with its uniqueness lying in factors such as its geographical features, favourable climate, magnificent scenery, value for money, good food, interesting historical and cultural resources and a good foreign exchange rate. The weaknesses of South Africa (safety, public transport and marketing) have the ability of being changed into opportunities in the striving to become one of the world's top tourist destinations. One of the most important findings was that globalisation gives rise to new policies, marketing strategies and product development, which encourage competitiveness. The achievement of a competitive advantage requires an understanding and knowledge of the key factors that play a role in global competitiveness. A positive future vision for the tourism industry depends on the involvement of the government and the interaction of all the different key players to improve and developed South Africa's competitiveness as a tourist destination. Masters

The coastline of Portofino, Italy, a famous destination for the rich and famous, attracts thousands of visitors each year. Tourism product owners constitute a significant component of the competitive environment in this area in order to claim a piece of the tourism pie. For the local dive operators, the situation tends to be even more difficult when dealing with strict regulations concerning the marine protected area and a specific market. The identification of critical success factors could offer some insight into the management of these operations. In order to accomplish this, a qualitative research approach was followed by interviewing eight dive operators in the area of Portofino. It was clear that the critical success factor to manage a dive operation was unique to this area and differs from other tourism products by adopting a unique customer relations approach, an emphasis on safety, and the focus on providing a signature product. These results could assist managers of dive operations in identifying new opportunities in terms of management and sought out threats to the business., This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in European Journal of Tourism research on 12/12/2016. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://ejtr.vumk.eu/index.php/volume17/503-v17164 This paper has received funding from the European Union (EU)'s H2020 research and innovation programme under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie grant agreement No 643712 to the project Green Bubbles RISE for sustainable diving (Green Bubbles). This paper reflects only the views of the authors. The Research Executive Agency is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains. The researchers would like to acknowledge the support of the dive centres who collaborated, and all the people who helped with this survey.

PhD (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2020 The study is set on the background that tourism practitioners lack capacity to serve visitors with impairment in the tourism industry. This study purpose is to address this disparity from a tourism human capital development lens. This is set through accessible tourism human capital development model that bolsters the mainstreaming of impairment issues and persons with impairments (physical/visible). The goal was achieved through extensive literature review on tourism and impairments (disability) and policies. The literature analysis was set to ascertain the extent of mainstreaming impairments in empowering the impaired and non-impaired persons. This empowerment is set through the acquisition of formal employable tourism competencies within the tourism career path. This was achieved through Chapter 2 and 3. The second objective was to ascertain the extent of disablism on persons with impairments within the higher education institution. This was achieved in Chapter 3. The third and fourth objectives was to have the voice of the persons with impairments for the development of mechanism to nurture the capacity building in tourism practitioners to serve visitors with impairments. This was achieved through Chapter 4, 5 and 6. The qualitative study used in-depth face-to-face interviews and self-administered semi-structured questionnaires to persons with impairments’ gatekeepers and tourism educators. In addition, online panel discussion was used to collect data from the persons with impairments. The non-participatory direct observation was adopted for the higher education institution’s workflows/teaching and learning processes as augmented by policy document analysis. The results enabled the construction of the accessible tourism human capital development model. The results from the study highlighted that, neither policies mainstream impaired persons nor guides the enforceable practices towards mainstreaming impairment issues in the teaching and learning environment. This caused the void in capacity to handle learners with impairments among the tourism educators due to ignorance. Hence the graduates (tourism practitioners) will have no capacity to handle visitors with impairments at the tourism facilities. The study concluded that the policy bleakly addresses persons with impairments and impairment issues. This positions impairment issues and physical impaired persons’ inclusive approaches remains more of rhetoric than mainstreamed practices. The literature and results from the study enabled the construction of accessible tourism human capital development model and implementation blueprint/framework that fosters mainstreaming impairment issues and physical Doctoral

MCom (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2020 The tourism industry is a fast-growing industry generating potential and economic benefits towards destinations. In terms of the Blue Economy, the marine tourism industry can be observed as an important aspect of this economy which enhances industry development where beach tourism is one aspect of. Beach tourism is enjoyed by many tourists partaking in activities (e.g swimming, surfing, walking and sunbathing) to create a unique experience. When investigating previous research on beach tourism and tourists’ motives to travel to beach destinations, it is found that these motives of beachgoers are not adequately researched in the tourism industry specifically in South Africa. As beach tourism is not only consisting of the sun, sea and sex experience, it is worthwhile to explore the needs and wants of these tourists when travelling to the beach. South Africa has numerous popular beach destinations i.e. Muizenberg, Jeffreys Bay, Camps Bay to name a few, which exhibits great potential for efficient marketing and management and improved product development once the motive of the beachgoers is known. Although a substantial amount of studies research the motives of marine tourists, no substantial research has been conducted in terms of beach tourism as an important aspect within the marine tourism industry. In order to fill this gap in the literature, the main goal for this study is to identify travel motives of beachgoers visiting South African beaches. The profile of these visitors and their travel behaviour were also evaluated. To achieve this goal numerous surveys were conducted at six beach destinations in South Africa (Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Hartenbos, Jeffreys Bay, Durban and Muizenberg). Self-administered questionnaires were distributed amongst tourists relaxing at the beach using a non-probability convenience sampling method. A total of 1138 questionnaires were collected from these respondents at different beach destinations. The layout of the study consisted of four objectives. Firstly, marine and beach tourism were discussed in the form of a literature review, in Chapter 2. Secondly, a literature review was conducted on motivation and market segmentation of marine tourism (Chapter 3). Thirdly, the results of the survey were statistically analysed in order to identify the travel motives of the respondents by performing a factor analysis as well as developing a profile for the visitors in terms of cluster analysis (Chapter 4). Lastly, the fourth objective was achieved in Chapter 5, which includes the conclusions drawn from the results and the recommendations made for future research and the industry. The statistical analyses methods used in this study included factor analysis, t-Tests, ANOVA’s, Spearman’s Rank Order correlation and cluster analysis. The socio-demographic profile of the respondents was identified in the descriptive results, to be an English speaking female at the age of 35 years, single, employed and possessing a diploma or degree. The respondent resides either in the Western Cape or outside of South African borders. The factor analysis identified six factors namely swimming conditions, activities, quality of beach, popularity, experience and accessibility. Although the mean values were in close range, it can be interpreted from the mean values that quality of beach (3.02) was the most important motive for visitors when travelling to the beach whereas activities (2.65) was indicated as the least important motivational factor for travelling to beach destinations. From the t-Tests, ANOVA’s, Spearman’s Rank Order correlation results statistical significances were eminent from the results between home language, province of residence and occupation. It can be concluded that the older, retired generation indicated all the motivational factors important when visiting the beach. Further a domestic and international market were compiled from the results as two different markets. The domestic beachgoers seek good quality beaches and good swimming conditions whereas the international market travel to the beach regardless of the swimming conditions and quality of the beach. These results were also confirmed in the cluster analysis where two clusters were identified namely the Sun seekers and the Experience seekers. The Sun seekers being identified as the international market who searching for the 3 S’s (sun, sea and sex) and the Experience seekers indicated as the domestic market searches for the unique beach experience where all the motivational factors are present to create this memorable beach experience. Thus, the cluster analysis was performed to confirm the results from the factor analysis. This study contributes to the literature, identifying the beachgoers motives in South Africa and contributing to the research of travel motives in beach tourism. The results of this study also add to the product development on beaches and improved marketing and beach management techniques when the travel motives of these beachgoers are known. Lastly, the research emphasises the importance of known travel motives to researchers and beach destinations in the tourism industry. Masters

PhD (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2020 Tourism is regarded as one of the fastest growing industries that has generated colossal positive and negative impacts. This rapid growth and reaction to negative impacts has led to the advent of ecotourism as a component of Alternative tourism paradigm. The evolution and development of the ecotourism sector has been credited to changes in tourism demand, technology, globalisation and increasing competition amongst destinations. Due to these changes, product diversification is now core to ecotourism development strategy, as means of maintaining competitive advantage and remaining abreast with contemporary trends. However, empirical research focusing on diversification of ecotourism products from a demand perspective is limited, especially in the context of Botswana. The study, therefore, focused on empirical research to determine demand for ecotourism products. The research provided the basis for developing a diversification framework for ecotourism products in Botswana. To achieve this goal five objectives were formulated. The first objective was the analysis of literature on product development (showing linkage to marketing) and diversification in the tourism industry. An overview of marketing literature revealed the linkages amongst the concepts of tourism marketing, product, tourism product, product development and diversification. The concepts were analysed and applied in relation to diversification of tourism products. The review established that there are multiple strategies of diversification, with related constrained diversification being the most suitable for tourism firms to maintain competitiveness and remain relevant in continuously dynamic market environments. However, the review of literature established that diversification research in the field of tourism is limited, especially from a demand perspective. The second objective was an evaluation of ecotourism as a concept, in view of definitional controversy, multiple principles and classifications. Given the various classification frameworks, the study developed seven ecotourism options that formed the basis of diversifying products. The third objective analysed tourism development in Botswana, with particular emphasis on ecotourism. Attainment of independence and subsequent discovery of diamonds that were prudently managed, triggered rapid economic development that greatly benefitted the tourism sector. The country promoted the strategy of High Value – Low Volume (HVLV), that focuses on attracting few affluent tourists with high spending patterns, taking into consideration the fragility and sensitivity of the major ecosystems supporting tourism, namely; Okavango Delta and Chobe river. In line with this approach to minimise negative environmental effects, the country markets itself as a prime ecotourism destination based on wildlife related products, predominantly located in the northern parts of the country. The high dependence on one product type (wildlife) is regarded as greatly problematic. However, diversification efforts to alternative products have failed to yield tangible results for the past three decades. Research on diversification is fixated on supply side, and mostly on evaluation of potential tourism forms and the geographic areas to be developed. There is paucity of detailed empirical demand-based research and analysis of specific diversification strategies. It was established that, apart from the northern areas of Kasane and Okavango Delta, tourism development in other regions of the country is constrained, especially in relation to access and product quality. The review also identified the main types of existing and potential ecotourism activities. The fourth objective determined tourists’ needs and preferences for ecotourism products in order to identify possible diversification options. The fifth objective was the development of a framework for diversifying ecotourism products in Botswana tourism industry by thoroughly assessing empirical results and inferences deduced from review of literature. To achieve these objectives, the study adopted a positivist research paradigm that entailed using descriptive design and quantitative data analysis. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to 400 respondents at Kasane and Maun airports. Data was analysed using SPSS version 24 to generate descriptive statistics, and conduct factor analysis and independent t-tests. Main findings revealed preference for wildlife/wilderness and nature -based activities or products whilst events and hunting were the least desired. The country attracts mature tourist who prefer soft adventure and activities that prioritise conservation, interpretation and environmental education. Factors related to entertainment, construction of entertainment facilities, post office and golf courses were strongly resented. The findings established that related diversification was the best strategy to implement through expanding services and enhancing existing products. In line with the findings, a framework to diversify ecotourism activities was developed, focusing on activities that promote longer stay as greater linkage with local communities. The study benefited Doctoral

PhD (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus The conference industry is showing significant growth and has become an integral part of global tourism. The International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA) has ranked South Africa as one of the top 15 long-haul meetings destinations globally. South Africa aims to host approximately 53 international association conferences over the next four years, which will attract approximately 97000 association professionals and generate R1.4 billion in economic impact for the country. Yet the conference industry is a young, dynamic and growing industry which has untapped research potential/needs, specifically from a competitiveness and sustainability perspective. Notably, the South African government has recognised this need and identified the valuable contribution of conference tourism towards economic growth and sustainability. The National Tourism Sector Strategy (South African Tourism, 2016) recognises events as a strategic gateway to competitiveness. South Africa has successfully hosted a diverse portfolio of successful events and conferences. However, the concern remains that these events and conferences need to be sustainable in a competitive environment. There are many studies and models on the importance of branding and competitiveness of destinations and venues, but few of these include the aspects of conference tourism. Currently, there is no framework indicating the competitive factors, the attributes of the conference industry and how the framework should be utilised. It is the purpose of this study to develop a conceptual framework for conference tourism competitiveness, thus addressing a knowledge gap in the conference tourism domain. The literature review provided a body of knowledge drawing from the fields of tourism, conferencing and competitiveness, demonstrating the interconnectedness of the research topic. An important contribution to this study was the proposed definition of conference competitiveness. Furthermore it was established that destination competitiveness differs from that of conference competitiveness and that conference tourism has a unique set of competitive attributes. The aim of this study was therefore to develop a conceptual framework for conference tourism competitiveness that could be a useful tool for government planners, strategists and policy makers and to encourage proactive participation with all relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, the framework can assist stakeholders in developing marketing strategies to sell South Africa as a conference destination and make conferencing in South Africa a more competitive and sustainable industry. The data for the study was obtained through qualitative data (interviews) and quantitative data (questionnaire). Through semi-structured interviews with industry stakeholders, conference themes (attributes) that affect conference competititiveness were identified, which were then used to develop the questionnaire that was administered to international and domestic delegates attending conferences in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg. The conferences were a mix of association, academic and industry conferences. A total of 300 questionnaires were analysed using a reputable analysis process. Section A provided the results of the qualitative findings of the industry stakeholders. The findings yielded that location, accessibility, price, food and technology were the five top ranked conference competitiveness attributes. Section B provided the results of the quantitative data supplied by the delegates. The main factors and the sub-factor attributes were reported using descriptive analysis. The data was then subjected to the AHP online calculator to determine the main factor priorities and the sub-factor priorities of the attributes. The delegates ranked general conference attributes first, conference venue facilities second, conference services third and destination elements fourth. Amongst the conference attributes, general conference attributes were ranked as the top priority and destination elements the last. In relation to destination elements, safety and security; value and cost; and attractions and activities were deemed top priorities, with accessibility and weather as the lowest priorities. Conference services yielded that value and cost, program and accommodation were top priorities, with size of conference and entertainment as the lowest priorities. Regarding conference venue facilities, service quality and facilities/services were rated as top priority, with advanced technology and venue design as the lowest priorities. General conference attributes saw environmental practices as the top priority, with political and economic stability and promotional business tourism as equal priorities. The results were subjected to a one sample t-test to determine the effect size of the variables and practical significance. Doctoral

MA (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2019 The marine activity known as surfing has been alluded to as one of the most historically practised sport activities in the world, with millions of surfers practising the sport worldwide who travel to worldwide surf destinations in search of the perfect wave. Due to the impact of surf tourism and surfers' motivation to engage in this marine water activity, it is necessary to understand how surfing developed, the demographic profile of surfers and their motivations as well as their destination preferences. Further research is necessary concerning South Africa as a surf destination because there are many elements concerning the South African surf tourism industry and South African surfers that are yet to be identified. With South Africa being an idyllic surfing spot and with an increase in the number of surf competitions hosted in the country together with the positive impact these surfing events have on the country, this study can be considered important. The primary focus of this research was to scrutinise literature to identify and determine the leisure qualities that are associated with South African surfers. To achieve this aim, the following objectives were set: To conduct a historical analysis of surfing, from where the sport originated to how the sport is perceived today, and a literature review concerning surf tourism. To analyse literature concerning leisure so that leisure as well as leisure qualities could be conceptualised. To assess the perceptions and motivations as to why South African surfers take part in surfing and the associated leisure qualities. To draw conclusions and make recommendations to the organisers of surfing competitions, DMOs, tourism government agencies and other tourism role-players with regards to surf tourism in South Africa based on the leisure qualities that are associated with South African surfers. This was achieved using a quantitative research method by means of self-administered questionnaires, distributed to 401 surfers at the surfing hotspots in South Africa. The data from the questionnaires was captured in Microsoft Excel and further analysed by making use of SPSS. The descriptive results revealed that the surfers of South Africa consider the feeling of enjoyment whilst surfing, the contribution surfing has on their wellness and the feeling of renewal after having gone surfing to be important factors motivating them to surf. The surfers also indicated that they regard the abundance of good waves, the natural quality of the environment, and the surf destination being secluded and unspoiled as important aspects influencing their surf destination preferences. A factor analysis revealed that there are three leisure qualities that are associated with South African surfers. These leisure qualities included: 1) Intrinsic benefits, 2) Group affiliation and socialisation and 3) Personal surfing competence. The comparisons (by means of ANOVAs, t-Tests and non-parametric correlations) between the surf motivational factors and the demographic characteristics of surfers (age, total number of years surfing, types of surfers, competitive surfing vs. recreational surfing and the annual average expenditure of surfers) are unique to this study and significant differences were identified. The highest number of significant differences was identified between the different types of surfers. The results of this study can be used by organisers of surfing competitions, DMOs, tourism government agencies and other surf tourism role-players to emphasise in their marketing strategies the leisure qualities associated with South African Surfers and also to incorporate the factors that surfers regarded as important concerning their motivations and their destination preferences. The results provide an image of surfing as a tourism activity in South Africa and support the surf tourism industry of South Africa. Masters

MA (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2019 The main aim of this study was to analyse tourism competitiveness and conduct a demand analysis of South Africa as a tourist destination. To achieve this aim, four objectives were set: firstly, to conduct a literature overview to analyse competitiveness, definitions and models and aspects of competitiveness of South African tourism; secondly, to conduct a literature review and analysis based on previous research studies done on the competitiveness of destinations within the tourism industry; thirdly, to investigate the competitiveness of South Africa as a tourist destination from a demand point of view using quantitative research; and lastly, to draw conclusions and make recommendations concerning the tourism competitiveness of South Africa as a tourist destination. By means of the literature overview, it was established that not all researchers agree on what the concept competitiveness truly means. However, certain researchers agree that competitiveness refers to the competition among destinations or places. The significant findings of the literature overview are that no single definition or model is currently utilised within literature that is fully expressive of the meaning of the term competitiveness. A comprehensive literature review and analysis was conducted which focussed on obtainable (published) articles that dealt with tourism- or destination competitiveness. This review showed that most of the articles published on tourism or destination competitiveness focussed on Europe and that only eleven out of one hundred and twenty-one (121) articles in the sample focussed on South Africa specifically. The major finding is that a gap exists in tourism competitiveness research regarding the approach being used to investigate the tourism aspects of competitiveness. This is due to the majority of the articles having researched tourism competitiveness aspects/factors from a supply side. The empirical study comprised an investigation of the competitiveness of South Africa as a tourist destination from a demand point of view using quantitative research and capturing descriptive and exploratory data. Descriptive results were used to profile the respondents, determine the competitiveness aspects and to conduct a temporal analysis of these competitiveness aspects and strengths and weaknesses of South Africa. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the factors contributing to tourism competitiveness. The results showed that five (5) factors were identified contributing to tourism competitiveness from a demand side, namely: Tourism services, Risk and quality, Unique tourism attributes, Locality and Entertainment and amenities. Recommendations are: Employers could send their employees for training to ensure that they know how to treat the guests. This training includes improving the services at the hotel, guesthouse, restaurant or attractions in order to ensure hospitality from the employees' side; Safety of South Africa should be promoted more vividly, seeing that the majority of the respondents indicated safety to be a weakness, as well as that it is extremely important for the competitiveness of a destination. This could be done by including "safety tips" before or while the travel agents sell the packages. The research conducted in this study not only provided information about the competitiveness factors of South Africa as a tourism destination from a demand point of view, but also provided findings of other competitiveness aspects or factors of other destinations. If one has knowledge of the competitiveness factors of a destination, it could lead to growth in tourist numbers. Masters

PhD (Tourism Management), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2018 Innovation is increasingly being regarded as the life blood of growth in any economy. However, the role of innovation as a determinant of destination competitiveness is largely neglected in the majority of models on destination competitiveness. This is despite the pivotal role that innovation can play in enhancing tourism competitiveness of destinations especially those experiencing myriad of challenges like Zimbabwe. Therefore, with reference to Zimbabwe, the goal of the study was to critically assess how innovation can be used as a determinant of tourism competitiveness from a stakeholder perspective. To achieve the main goal of the study five objectives were formulated. First objective was to establish the link between management and tourism competitiveness which was achieved in Chapter two (2) by conducting a review of literature. Objective two (2) was to critically assess the role of innovation in the tourism industry and it was fulfilled in Chapter three (3) through a review of literature. The third objective was to establish the determinants of tourism competitiveness from a stakeholders' perspective. The objective was answered in Chapter five (5) together with objective four (4) through gathering empirical data. Objective four (4) sought to determine the stakeholders' perceptions on how innovation can be used to enhance tourism competitiveness in Zimbabwe. The last objective was to develop guidelines to be used by tourism managers and the government on how to embrace innovation to improve tourism competitiveness in Zimbabwe and it was responded to in Chapter six (6) of the study. To a greater extent the competitiveness of a destination is a product of the concerted efforts from individual organisations that make up the tourism industry. Consequently, this justifies the use of stakeholders in the study. The study adopted a qualitative research methodology and used a semi-structured interview guide to collect data from eighteen (18) participants who comprised of policy makers, entrepreneurs and managers of tourism organisations. Thematic data analysis was used to analyse collected data. Creswell's six steps of data analysis were used to guide the data analysis. Main findings which emerged from the study were: While the participants showed an appreciation of what innovation is, there is still an indication that some participants have not yet realised the value that innovation has in an organisation. This has been professed by the failure of participants to mention innovation as one of the determinants of tourism competitiveness. Resultantly, this raises pertinent questions on the capacity, capability, readiness and competence of the country's tourism stakeholders to come up with innovative solutions for the betterment of the country's tourism product. The economic challenges coupled with a poor political will being faced by Zimbabwe have crippled the capacity of tourism organisations to innovate according to the opinion of the majority of the respondents. However, it has also emerged that study participants have a misconception that a lot of funds are needed for innovation to take place yet innovation can still happen with small budgets and challenges can even provide the impetus to develop innovative solutions. The instability in the economic environment has affected some systems such as maintenance of tourism superstructure and provision of good access to a destination which are key aspects in bringing competitiveness to a destination. There was general consensus among participants that the above challenges have weakened the competitiveness of Zimbabwe. In light of the findings which emerged from the study, a set of guidelines were developed which can be used as basis of using innovation as a strategy in Zimbabwe, despite the tumultuous phase which the tourism industry is experiencing. The study is expected to benefit policy makers, entrepreneurs and managers of tourism organisations by providing them with knowledge on effective and efficient utilisation of innovation to improve the competitiveness of Zimbabwe. Doctoral

Global tourism is constantly increasing, creating fierce competition between tourist destination proponents. Because of this, various researchers have developed models which aim to determine the factors that make destinations competitive to give them a competitive advantage over others. This applies in South Africa too. The last study carried out to determine the factors that make this country a competitive destination found that the factors that were most important for South Africa’s competitiveness were safety and security, quality service, value for money, geographical features and attitude towards tourists. Competitive research specifically regarding this country has been limited since 2002. South Africa’s global competitive ranking is not improving at the same rate as previously, making it necessary to explore the components that contribute to its competitiveness in this industry, which could contribute to the strategic management strategy of the country. The goal of this paper was thus to determine which components determine South Africa’s competitiveness. To achieve this goal a structured questionnaire was emailed to delegates who attended the Tourism Indaba in 2013. Thirty six (36) attributes were measured on a five point Lickert scale and a factor analysis was done to determine the factors that contribute to the competitiveness of South Africa. Nine factors was identified namely cuisine, tourism services, location, economic benefits, attributes, entertainment and activities, stability, African experience and brand and image.