Browsing by Author "Gumede, Thembinkosi Keith"

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    Building Resilient Tourism SMMEs amidst and post COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case of South Coast, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
    (Canadian Center of Science and Education, 2022-03-02) Gumede, Thembinkosi Keith
    The paper explores measures adopted by the South African government alongside small business sector to sustain tourism SMMEs amidst COVID-19 pandemic. The data were collected from respondents who were purposefully sampled and interviewed using face-to-face mode of enquiry. The data were analyzed through content analysis and the emerged findings indicate that tourism SMMEs had been adversely affected by COVID-19 pandemic and resultant lockdown restrictions. Numerous tourism SMMEs had to cease operations, face potential bankruptcy, negotiate pay-cuts and retrench some of the personnel staff. However, certain measures had been adopted by the government alongside small business sector to demonstrate resilience to lockdown restrictions as the pandemic continuously mutates from one variant to the other.
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    Ecotourism as a mechanism for local economic development in the communities adjacent to the Oribi Gorge nature reserve
    (University of Zululand, 2019) Gumede, Thembinkosi Keith
    Scholars and stakeholders involved in the tourism industry share a common view that ecotourism has demonstrated a great potential for attracting both international and local visitors. Consequently, ecotourism has been advocated as one of the most important pillars of the tourism industry mainly for conserving natural resources whilst boosting the socio-economies of the local communities. Review of literature indicates that most of the developed and developing countries use their scenic natural resources and distinct landscapes as tourism resources. However, the problem is that literature does not clearly state how ecotourism can be used as a mechanism for the development of local economies, especially in rural areas. Based on this literary background, the study sought to find out how ecotourism can be used as a mechanism for the development of local economies. The study was conducted at the Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve and the adjacent communities under KwaNdwalane (Nsimbini) and KwaXolo Traditional Councils. A sample of 384 respondents comprised of the municipal official, community tourism organisation’s manager, Oribi Gorge Nature Reserve’s manager, community leaders, and community members of the study area was drawn from the population of 348 553 using convenience sampling technique. The sample size of 384 was based on the Research Advisors Spreadsheet [2006] at 95 percent level of confidence and 5 percent margin of error. Based on the chosen sampling technique, the sample comprised of the respondents who were accessible, knowledgeable about the issues related to the chosen topic, and willing to participate in the study. The study adopted a mixed methods design, which suggests that both quantitative and qualitative modes of research enquiry were used during the collection, analysis and interpretation of data. Survey questionnaires were used to collect data from the respondents through face-to-face surveys. The quantitative data were analysed with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software which enabled the study to carry out statistical tests to determine the relationships between independent and dependent variables. In this study, Pearson correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationships between dependent and independent vi variables using bi-variate correlation coefficient analysis. Crosstabulations were used to establish reciprocal relationships between bi-variate variables that were considered essential for testing the hypotheses. Chi-square tests were performed by the study to test the hypotheses. The qualitative data were analysed through content analysis where the researcher sifted the meanings embedded in the open-ended responses in order to establish the respondents’ in-depth understanding and/or own interpretation of the subject under investigation. During this process, the successive parts or common threads from the data were classified according to their categories in order to generate themes and/or sub-themes for the purpose of interpreting the results against the research questions. The study asserts that ecotourism is embedded and can be explained within a neoliberalism theory of development, where aspects of nature are packaged for tourism consumption and profit maximisation purposes. The study found that ecotourism contributes towards the local economic development of the study area through employment creation, capacity building, multiplier effect and revenue generation. The study established that ecotourism is not understood by the community members of the study area. The study found that ecotourism development towards the study area is influenced mainly by marketing strategies, proper infrastructure, and branding. The study also found that community members of the study area do not participate in ecotourism development activities. Based on these findings; stance of the selected theories on local community participation in ecotourism development activities; shortcomings of the reviewed model approaches of local community participation in ecotourism development activities; and findings of the literature on the limitations to community participation in ecotourism, a model for improving local community participation in ecotourism development activities in the study area was developed.
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    Heritage Tourism as a strategy for the local economic development in the vicinity of the KwaBulawayo and the Ondini Cultural Centres
    (University of Zululand, 2016) Gumede, Thembinkosi Keith; Nhlabathi, S.S; Ngcobo, N.R
    The aim of the study was to find out how heritage tourism can be used as a strategy for local economic development. The study was conducted at KwaBulawayo (Eshowe) and at Ondini (Ulundi) Cultural Centres and their surroundings. The study asserts that heritage tourism is embedded and can be explained within a shift from industrial to post-industrial mode of production and consumption, where aspects of society, such as heritage and culture are packaged for tourism consumption. The shift from industrial to post-industrial society and the associated packaging and consumption of heritage in the form of tourism forms the main theory of the study. This shift took place in the late 1970s when global economic system which was predicated on industrialisation and manufacturing experienced problems which were recessionary. Out of the recessionary problems, a new system of production called post-industrialisation or post-Fordism or post-modernity emerged. Post- industrialisation came with new processes of production and consumption. With regards to consumption, consumerism became a feature of the new economy. Consumerism meant that aspects of the society, such as heritage and culture had to be packaged for the tourist consumption and revenue generation. The study employed the exploratory mixed methodology, which suggests that the study used both qualitative and quantitative methods. With analysis and interpretation of data, content analysis was used to analyse the interviews while, SPSS and Microsoft Excel were used to analyse quantitative data. The population of the study was comprised of the KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Official(s), Zululand and King Cetshwayo District Municipalities’ Tourism Officers, KwaBulawayo and Ondini Cultural Centres’ Site Managers, Tribal Authorities and community members of the KwaBulawayo and the Ondini Cultural Centres. The study conducted face-to-face interviews and a sample of thirty seven respondents was drawn from the tourism officials and communities. The study found that the role players, i.e. officials and community members, understand the study sites in terms of culture, history and tradition, which suggests that they have not moved beyond the use value of the heritage sites. The findings revealed that the community is well aware of the heritage sites, that is, the cases of this study. However, the study established that the majority of communities did not know how long the heritage sites have been in operation. With regards to the running of the study sites, based on the Provincial and District Officials’ responses, the results showed that the power to manage them is decentralised to the District and Local Levels. The findings showed that the marketing of the heritage sites is not satisfactory. However, the on-line marketing (e.g. Internet, Facebook) was found to be predominant. The general observation of the study showed that the branding of the heritage sites revolves around King Shaka and King Cetshwayo. The communities of the study areas embrace heritage tourism sites and are regarded as the most important role players in heritage tourism of the study areas. The study found that heritage tourism has been used as a strategy for the local economic development of the study areas. The findings presented that attributes, such as artefacts and infrastructure, e.g. roads, stimulate heritage tourism of the study areas. The study observed that the tourists’ turnout to the heritage sites is inadequate. The study, therefore, recommends that the heritage tourism sites, in collaboration with all stakeholders, need to find alternative strategies to improve heritage tourism in the study areas e.g. involving tourism operators in their tourism processes. This could assist the heritage sites to generate sufficient revenue to employ more locals and assist the emerging local entrepreneurs with funding to strengthen their business ventures. The study recommends that the heritage sites need to engage ordinary community members and the local business people, especially those in the hospitality business in the tourism development processes. This could strengthen positive relationship between community members and the heritage tourism sites. The study further recommends that the key role players in heritage tourism of the study areas need to focus more on the exchange value than on the use value of the heritage sites. In the end, the study recommends further research, which will focus on the basic policy and/or a principle that could address community engagement to ensure a collective and/or beneficial participation in the entire tourism industry.