TOURISM

The South African Tourism Industry

Abstract

The paper discusses the tourism industry of South Africa in detail. It sheds a light on the historical development of the industry in the country and talks about the numerous tourist attractions that the country is endowed with. In the end, the paper also gives recommendations for the government and other related industries to help the government in improving this industry which has a huge potential for South Africa.

Table of Contents

Introduction1

History and development of travel and tourism industry1

South Africa Tourism Industry2

Types of tourists4

Domestic Tourists4

International Tourists5

Business tourists6

Tourist motivation7

South Africa tourist generating regions and tourist flows9

Cape Town10

Johannesburg11

Durban12

Kruger National Park13

Potential Growth Markets13

Business tourism14

Cultural tourism15

Eco-tourism16

Adventure tourism16

Sports tourism16

Current planning and management strategies for tourism in South Africa17

Planning for tourism18

Recommendations19

Conclusion20

References22

The South African Tourism Industry

Introduction

The tourism industry in South Africa is doing well. Over the years, the country has seen an increase in the number of domestic and international tourists. This increase is the result of the government's attention to the sector which is one of the major contributors to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The country remains a destination of choice not only for the leisurely travellers but also for the business travellers (Crandall 1980, 45).

History and development of travel and tourism industry

Tourism may be defined as travelling for the purpose of leisure and fun. According to the World Tourism Organization, "Travel to and stay in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes" (Cooper et al, 2001: 25). Over the years, the tourism industry has developed quite significantly. In today's age of stress and disorder, more and more people are taking frequent, longer holidays and exploring new destinations owing to reasons discussed hereunder (Baloglu 1997, 11).

The Holiday pay Act 1938 has encouraged people to take holidays as they are entitled to an annual leave of four weeks. The technological improvements and developments in the tourism industry such as improvements in transportation network, better mileage etc. Growth in tourism has positive impact on a country's economy (Muhammad 2010, 41). People have become more convenience oriented and need better opportunities to relax in today's world of stressful life.

South Africa Tourism Industry

South Africa is one of the most interesting countries in the world. In Africa, South Africa has shown the fastest economic progress. The country is blessed with many natural resources. The tourists have a variety of options to enjoy the scenery, hike on the mountains and even enjoy the plains and forests. Many documentaries have been shot in South African forests that contain the most extinct of animals. Its transportation system is one of the best in the world and the government has played due attention on the tourism industry (Dann 1977, 184). The tourism industry has grown significantly over the years. The current number of foreign visitors is 9.9 million for the year 2009 as opposed to 3 million in the year 1993. Not only this, the domestic tourism industry has also shown a robust increase of ...