Perspectives on institutional frameworks, planning, coordination and development of tourism in KwaZulu-Natal
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Date
2012
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University of Zululand
Abstract
The growth of tourism as a social phenomenon, a tourist industry as well as an
economic enterprise have been full of drama during the last half of the twentieth
century. Tourism has become a major economic force in many countries and regions
throughout the world. Increasingly, it has been agreed that the growth of tourism
offers means for developing countries to escape the confines of underdevelopment
and that new forms of tourism allow this transition to be achieved sustainably and
equitably (Mowforth & Munt, 1998: 221). As a global tourism player, KwaZulu-Natal
has not been immune to the global trend of massive tourism development. The
province of KwaZulu-Natal currently holds number one position in the domestic market
and is number three in attracting the international market in South Africa (South
African Tourism, 2004: 12).
The research problem in this study is seen as four-fold: Firstly, tourism in KwaZulu-
Natal is governed in terms of the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Act of (1996) as amended in
(2000), which regrettably has serious shortcomings. The Act only advocates the
establishment of Destination Management Organisation, the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism
Authority, and regulation of tourist guides without any reference to the mandate and
functions of the provincial Department of Economic Development and Tourism
[DEDT]. The Act confers the tourism marketing, development and investment function
to KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Authority. This state of affairs has culminated to serious
clashes in operational roles between the department and the destination management
organisation. Secondly, KwaZulu-Natal does not have a provincial tourism master
plan. The municipalities are developing their tourism plans and strategies without a
guiding provincial tourism plan or tourism strategy. Thirdly, the tourism coordinating
structures in Kwazulu-Natal are inefficient and ineffective and do not succeed in
providing a coordinated tourism development approach and alignment of tourism
policies and strategies between the provincial and local government. Lastly, the local
communities are not properly consulted and involved in tourism matters at a local
level.
The objectives of this study were set to facilitate better comprehension of the study as
well as to accomplish the main goals of the study. The objectives are:
(a) To analyse the gaps in the legislative frameworks governing tourism
development in KwaZulu-Natal and how these influence creation of the
enabling environment for co-ordinated planning in the tourism industry.
(b) To analyse the national, provincial and local government tourism policies and
strategies, revealing how these are aligned to positively influence tourism
planning and development in KwaZulu-Natal.
(c) To scrutinise relevance, composition, stakeholder efficacy, operations and
effectiveness of tourism co-ordinating structures for the public and private
sector engagements in KwaZulu-Natal.
(d) To investigate policy and strategic planning challenges facing a broad crosssection
of tourism stakeholders in planning, coordination and delivery of tourism
development in KwaZulu-Natal.
(e) To establish the perceptions of tourism stakeholders towards the effectiveness
of existing policy, institutional frameworks and their implementation in achieving
co-ordinated tourism development in the study area.
(f) To propose a mechanisms or model-related master plan that could be utilised
to ensure a co-ordinated and integrated tourism planning and development
process in KwaZulu-Natal.
The section on methodology provides a discussion on the research strategy and
general approach that was adopted in conducting the study. In essence the research
design utilised the qualitative and quantitative approaches, which according to KZNTA
(2008) are ideal in assessing the state of tourism in KwaZulu-Natal. The sample of
the study included a number of diverse organisations and institutions, namely;
provincial and local government, private sector, local communities, development
finance institutions which are all organisations somehow responsible for tourism
policy, planning, development and management in KwaZulu-Natal. The study was
conducted as an applied research
The main findings of the study revealed that the legislative framework in KwaZulu-
Natal has gaps and causes challenges in the tourism industry; national and provincial
tourism policies are not fully communicated to local communities; the tourism
coordinating structures are not effective and fully inclusive of the local stakeholders;
the local communities are not adequately consulted on policy and planning matters in
the province; and that municipalities do not have necessary by-laws to regulate the
industry.
The study was conducted as applied research and it developed a conceptual model
for tourism planning and management in KwaZulu-Natal which is a new model that
adds the body of knowledge in the field of tourism policy and planning. The new
model is called the Community Coordination Matrix for Tourism Planning. The model
was not adapted from any existing model but was developed to provide coordination
and alignment of tourism activities among a number of tourism authorities and
coordinating structures that exist in KwaZulu-Natal and to ensure that they are
properly coordinated, synergised and work in unison to improve tourism policy,
planning and development in the study area.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment
of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of
Philosophy in the Department of Recreation and
Tourism, at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2012.
Keywords
Tourism development -- KwaZulu-Natal