The status of tourism skills development practices for the previously disadvantaged communities around Richards Bay & townships

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Date
2011
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Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
The South African tourism industry has largely been designated as the playing grounds for the previously advantaged communities [PACs] where they acquire many benefits, and not in favour of the previously disadvantaged communities [PDCs]. Various tourism-related government policies and strategies have been put in place so as to improve the status and access of the previously disadvantaged communities into the tourism industry. On the one hand, the tourism policies and strategies are viewed as reverse discrimination by some previously advantaged individuals [PAIs], while on the other hand, they are viewed as an outstanding opportunity and justice for many previously disadvantaged individuals [PDIs]. This is more specifically when the policy of skills development, among others, is designed to improve the living status and employment opportunities of the previously disadvantaged communities [PDCs]. This research study has the intention of investigation the status of tourism skills development practices for the previously disadvantaged communities around Richards Bay รก Townships. The study also sought to establish whether there are any emerging opportunities of improving the lot of the black people within the areas where they stay. In other words, this study views the tourism policies and strategies as critical for establishing a demographic representation in the tourism industry. Furthermore, the study believes that in order for these policies and strategies to succeed they must adopt principles of skills development practice that are acceptable and well-regarded among the previously disadvantaged communities in the industry. The main objectives of this study seek to reveal the status of tourism skills development practices for the previously disadvantaged communities, in the study area. This goal may be achieved through objective such as: how stakeholders understand the importance of tourism skills development practices; respondents' access to the tourism skills development opportunities; how the Richards Bay tourism authorities facilitate tourism skills development; respondents' perceptions of the implementation of the tourism skills development policies and practices; and establishing whether there are any tourism skills development practice-benefits for the PDCs in the study area. The methodology of this study deals with the selection of the sample, instrument for data collection in 3 Richard Bay Townships and the analysis and interpretation of data. The form of research approach that was used in this research was the survey method. The face-to-face interviews were used where questionnaires were used to collect data from a sample of stakeholders in Townships. The sample size selected was 132 respondents which are not necessarily representatives of the entire population of Richards Bay and Townships. The sample size was categorised into the following stakeholders: tourism officials [15], service providers [20], and local community [97]. The sampling technique selected was the stratified random sampling techniques. In conclusion the study established that, on the whole, the respondents fully understood the meaning and importance of tourism skills development practices. The respondents also felt that the skills development opportunities were inaccessibility in the study area. The findings also indicated that the respondents felt that the provision of tourism skills development practices and policies in the area were not adequate. The respondents were seen to perceive the implementation of the tourism skills development policies and practices as not up to the required standard. Finally, the respondents felt that the tourism skills development practice-benefits were not adequate in the study area. The research study concludes by offering recommendations, which proposed that all the authorities ranging from tourism, labour, education and municipality must investment significantly in skills training and development practices. Finally, the community must be encouraged to learn more about the benefits of tourism.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements for Master's degree in Recreation and Tourism, in the Department of Recreation and Tourism at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2011.
Keywords
Tourism skills development -- South Africa -- KwaZulu-Natal -- Richards Bay
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