Community involvement and participation in tourism development : a Zimbabwe study

Abstract: This study seeks to provide insights into the extent of community involvement and participation in the tourism development trajectory within the urban community of Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Face-to-face questionnaire surveys were administered to 384 adult members representing each household. The study revealed that communities were not adequately involved in terms of planning, decision making and participation in the development of tourism generally. Communities also perceive the benefits brought about by tourism to be confined to business and government officials as opposed to it being leveraged to the entire community. Communities acknowledge the potential of tourism to accrue benefits to them and express strong willingness to be involved in future development agendas. The paper advocates the need for a concerted effort to capacitate, educate and involve individuals and stakeholder groups in the efforts to remodel the tourism economy in Zimbabwe for long-term sustainability by adopting an innovative community based tourism approach

Towards sustainable ecotourism development in Ghana: Contributions of the local communities

The study, which focused on Bobiri Forest Reserve and Butterfly Sanctuary in Ghana, sought to identify the challenges that the local communities face in contributing to the sustainability of the Sanctuary, to categorise the benefits that the local communities derive from ecotourism, and to evaluate the local involvement toward the sustainability of the Sanctuary. A mixed-methodological approach was employed in the data collection and analysis. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to 387 respondents, selected from the six surrounding communities, at the study site. The study also purposively selected and interviewed some key informants. The study revealed that the local communities did not contribute much to the sustainability of the Sanctuary. At the time of the study, the national government received most of its economic benefits at the expense of the local communities. The study recommends the involvement of the neighbouring communities in the development of ecotourism in the Sanctuary, as well as the introduction of structures that help to ensure equitable distribution of the economic benefits accruing from ecotourism

Insights into International Tourists’ Experiences of, and Satisfaction with, Zimbabwe’s Tourism Offerings

This study sought to gain insights into international tourists’ experiences of, and satisfaction with, Zimbabwe tourism offerings. The study emanates from the standpoint that, for tourism to enhance its potential to transform economies and livelihoods, the focus for development, in that regard, must be directed towards increasing the number of travellers to destinations, creating memorable experiences, and ensuring that the service quality is satisfactory, based on their expectations and perceptions. The study’s objective was achieved through the use of a questionnaire survey, with the data obtained being presented in tables from the highest to the lowest mean scores. The satisfaction of the tourism offerings was negative, in which the highest mean score was Attitude of the personnel/service providers (M=2.73), and the lowest mean score was Road network to/from points of entry, prominent attractions and other amenities (M=1.58). The respondents viewed all the given tourism offerings as top development priority, with the highest mean score being accommodation facilities (M=4.93), and the lowest being theme parks (M=4.77). In addition, the perceptions of the tourism offerings were found to be generally negative, with the highest mean score being a friendly environment for the tourists, and the locals are welcoming and friendly (M=4.44), and the lowest being There is a good road network in Harare that allows for easy access to and from tourism offerings (M=1.86). The study offers insights into an understanding of the development and marketing of tourism offerings, service quality and delivery, as well as of the policy and planning direction for destination managers.&nbsp

Customers’ Perceptions of Value in Relation to Hotels in Gauteng, South Africa

This study is based on the premise that the hospitality industry operates within a highly competitive business environment and that the creation of customer-perceived value is a business component that concerns the striving to gain competitive advantage in terms of financial success, customer satisfaction and loyalty. The aim of the study was to explore the hotel value attributes perceived as being most important by hotel customers. To achieve the objective, a quantitative study design was employed, in terms of which data were purposively and conveniently collected by means of a survey questionnaire that was administered to hotel guests staying in 3- to 5-star hotels. The findings revealed that hotel customers tend to attach a high degree of importance to the issue of value for money, whereas the appearance of the hotel was least important to them of the tourism-related characteristics about which they were asked. Overall, the study found that hotels in Gauteng generally provide service that is satisfactory to their customers, but that the remaining challenge for hoteliers lies in their ability to sustain such levels of satisfaction through continuous employee motivation and skills development

Insights into international tourists’ experiences of, and satisfaction with, Zimbabwe’s tourism offerings

Abstract: This study sought to gain insights into international tourists‘ experiences of, and satisfaction with, Zimbabwe tourism offerings. The study emanates from the standpoint that, for tourism to enhance its potential to transform economies and livelihoods, the focus for development, in that regard, must be directed towards increasing the number of travellers to destinations, creating memorable experiences, and ensuring that the service quality is satisfactory, based on their expectations and perceptions. The study‘s objective was achieved through the use of a questionnaire survey, with the data obtained being presented in tables from the highest to the lowest mean scores. The satisfaction of the tourism offerings was negative, in which the highest mean score was Attitude of the personnel/service providers (M=2.73), and the lowest mean score was Road network to/from points of entry, prominent attractions and other amenities (M=1.58). The respondents viewed all the given tourism offerings as top development priority, with the highest mean score being accommodation facilities (M=4.93), and the lowest being theme parks (M=4.77). In addition, the perceptions of the tourism offerings were found to be generally negative, with the highest mean score being a friendly environment for the tourists, and the locals are welcoming and friendly (M=4.44), and the lowest being There is a good road network in Harare that allows for easy access to and from tourism offerings (M=1.86). The study offers insights into an understanding of the development and marketing of tourism offerings, service quality and delivery, as well as of the policy and planning direction for destination managers

Muslim tourist experiences and return intention in hotels: A South African study

This research endeavour locates the manifestation of Islam in the context of tourism, arguing for its viability as a significant component of an emerging global Islamic tourism market. By way of empirical research focused on Muslim tourists visiting Cape Town, this study presents a South African case study, with it arguing for the need to capitalise on the opportunities that the market represents. A mixed-methods research design was followed. The views of hoteliers were explored (qualitative) and 400 Muslim travellers of eight hotels successfully completed questionnaires (quantitative). Analysis of variance, correlation and regression analysis were performed to reach the objectives of the study. Prayer facilities highly influenced Muslim tourist experiences, whilst halal food highly influenced their return intentions to a hotel. The study provides hotel management with an improved understanding of the unique attributes that impact on Muslim tourist experiences and return intentions to South Africa. &nbsp

Influence of social media on customer experiences in restaurants: A South African study

The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of social media on customers\u27 experiences in restaurants in South Africa. Using the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality as a case study area, structured survey questionnaires were distributed at selected formal full-service restaurants to customers. The data analysis consisted of the experiences of respondents with different social media types and t-tests. The results indicated that on a 5 point Likert scale, customers who used Instagram in the 35 to 44 year age group recorded the highest mean experience score (4.69) whilst customers who used Instagram who were above 65 years of age recorded the lowest mean experience score (3.78). Customers who used Facebook and Instagram rated experiences of food and beverage, service, ambience levels and overall experiences significantly different (p<0.05). Customers who used You Tube rated experiences of service quality significantly different (p<0.05). There were no significant differences (p<0.05) in the means calculated for customers who used Twitter, Trip advisor and other social media types. Consequently, restaurant customer experiences for food and beverage, service and ambience were influenced by Facebook and Instagram. The study concludes that, while social media usage continues to grow in South Africa, restaurateurs should market restaurants on any social media type but put more emphasis on Facebook, Instagram and You Tube because these social media types currently play a substantial role in influencing customers\u27 experiences

The African sport fan and a mega-event: implications for the Durban 2022 Commonwealth Games in South Africa

The purpose of this article is to profile African sport fans in relation to the hosting of mega and largescale events. The aim is to determine their profiles, participation and challenges experienced with a view to inform the hosting of future events such as the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Durban, South Africa. A quantitative methodological approach within a case study design was undertaken in two case study countries (Cameroon and Nigeria). Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 771 soccer fans across both study areas. The findings reveal African fans to be fairly young male and well educated but earning a low income. The data also showed their level of attendance at mega-events was quite low owing to the high level of costs associated with travelling and purchasing tickets for the event. The article recommends the need for the 2022 Commonwealth Games organisers to take cognisance of such challenges when implementing pricing and ticketing strategies. Maximising African fans’ participation at future events will require robust thinking in relation to the pricing involved in terms of travel and game tickets

THE EFFECTS OF MAJOR SPORT EVENT LEVERAGING FOR TOURISM AND DESTINATION BRANDING: THE CASE OF SOUTH AFRICA AS AN EMERGING DESTINATION

Emerging nations with transitioning or newly transformed brands are increasingly using sport as a branding platform to generate and communicate strong and coherent brands. This is done in acknowledgement of sport as a powerful agent for destination branding. While many studies on sport mega-events leveraging exist, few have addressed the effects of major sport on tourism and destination branding. Regrettably, the theory underpinning emerging economies and destinations of the Global South has been neglected. This paper, therefore, addresses the gap by investigating the major event and its effects on the emerging South African brand. The study followed a qualitative design featuring semi-structured in-depth interviews with key industry stakeholders involved in sport, nation and tourism brands. The findings clearly revealed positive effects of major events for a developing destination, in line with socio-economic development and brand exposure. Furthermore, strong emphasis on the importance of strategic partnerships for effective brand development is evident. The paper contributes to the developing country’s perspective on topics investigated largely in the developed contexts. It also holds practical significance for stakeholders of other developing nations, providing them with guidance on how to achieve branding benefits through major sport event leveraging

CONTEXTUALISING SPORT AND TOURISM IN CENTRAL AFRICA: PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES

Sport has been an integral part of the African lifestyle, and as such, in transitioning economies like those in the Central African subregion, where many people are not part of the mainstream economic activity, sport serves as a useful socio-economic getaway. In fact, the concept of sport-related tourism has grown significantly in prominence in the African context, especially in recent times. This is because, despite the existing issues linked to economic hardships, sport events are well-attended, providing a useful platform to kick-start certain socio-economic activities that are linked to local and regional tourism development. This article explores the stakeholder views on promoting tourism through sport, using Cameroon as a case study. Documentary reviews, incorporating semi-structured in-depth interviews with stakeholders involved in sport and tourism domains, reveal a set of structural challenges, as well as illuminating opportunities for development. The study has implications for policy and planning linked to sport tourism development in the Central African subregion