Interim Report of the Factors Influencing the Success of Community Tourism in South Africa

Due to the importance of tourism to the economy of Australia, it is essential that the stakeholders ensure sustainability in tourism, leisure and event management to promote the sector. Good tourism policies, efficient relationship between the sector and the local community as well as environment conservation policies should be enhanced to boost this vital sector. This report aims at highlighting the need for sustainability in tourism, leisure and event management the South Bank in Australia.

Tourism has become a commercial business, which has obvious benefits to the said economy, the environment and society. Often, the positive economic impacts persuade governments, companies and individuals to get involved with the development of tourism. Tourism creates jobs, both

Making tourism more sustainable is not just about controlling and managing the negative impacts of the industry. Tourism is in a very special position to benefit local communities, economically and socially, and to raise awareness and support for conservation of the environment.

Tourism is perceived as one of the leading industries in the world. “The World Travel and Tourism Council (2001) indicated that tourism creates more than ten percent of the global economic output and 1 in 10 jobs worldwide.”

Tourism plays a significant role in sustainable development and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Tourism Organization (WTO) wish to encourage all countries to make sure that their policies and actions for its development and management fully embrace the principles of sustainability. Likewise, policies to promote sustainable development should take full account of the opportunities offered by tourism. Various international conventions and declarations have put forward principles and guidelines for sustainable tourism and the importance of tourism and its sustainability was underlined at the 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. Many countries declare that they are pursuing, or wish to pursue, policies for ‘sustainable tourism’. Despite this interest, there remains a degree of uncertainty over the scope and priorities for making tourism more sustainable and only partial appreciation of how to put this into practice (Making Tourism More Sustainable, 2005).

Rhetorically sensitive fund-raisers may present the exigence and constraints to their audience. In the case of ecotourism, the audience consists of foreign tourists who bring new money to circulate throughout the struggling South African communities. If leaders do not make a convincing

Sustainable development is the economic development that is conducted with depleting natural resources and also the development of tourism that meets the needs of the present without compromising future generation’s ability to meet their own needs (WCED, 1987). Sustainable tourism refers to the practices, policies and programs that is considered to reach the expectations of the tourist with not natural resources management but also the communities that are affected by tourism (UNEP, 2011). Sustainable tourism should maintain a level of tourist satisfaction as well as their expectations. Taking the opportunity to raise awareness to them about sustainable issues and promote sustainable practices amongst them (UNWTO,

This finding was consistent with precedent studies that found that locals perceive tourism as a development that provides cultural identity and activity, cultural interchange and valuable meeting involvements with tourists. On the study Brida, Disegna and Osti (2014) conducted on a small mountain community located in the North-East of Italy, the study shows that residents without a direct economic benefit from tourism and with a negative perception of the socio-cultural tourism impacts are less disposed to fortify tourism development. Vadell, Armas and Taño (2014) conducted a study in Tenerife and Mallorca concludes overall results designate that critics accede more that tourism may make residents feel uncomfortable at home; on the other hand, they consider less that it avails in preserving local traditions, benefits in the disclosure of different cultures and additionally consider substantially less that tourism makes the local population

As defined by the World Tourism Organization (WTO), tourism comprises the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business, and other purposes. Key concepts of sustainable development and sustainable tourism, values and ethics of sustainable tourism and the needs of sustainability in all form of tourism shall be discussed in this essay.

As mentioned by Rimmington & Morrison (2009), the assistance from different parts of the world presents a new and diverse outlook for future research including theoretical innovations and revelations, cultural and environmental aspects, tourist destination and other ecotourism and recreational aspects of tourism and hospitality industry (Brotherton,

Some previous studies about tourism development have demonstrated that it depends much on the goodwill, participation, and support of residents (Yoon, Gursoy, & Chen, 2001). Following the findings of Yoon, Gursoy, and Chen, they suggested that tourism should be developed base on the needs and desires of residents. The fundamental for the success and developing

Eco tourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the South Africa. The members of the tourism industry have the social and economic responsibilities towards the society. Experience tourism based environment including the benefit of the local communities for their living hood. The economic tourism management implementing the planning for eco-tourism improvement and trying hard to maximize the society welfare through the eco-tourism.

Voluntourism is defined as “a form of tourism in which travelers participate in voluntary work, typically for a charity”. This type of tourism is extremely popular today and has done a fantastic job in expanding its market. Whether you’ve read about it in a pamphlet or book, have travelled with an organization whose vision correlates with that of voluntourism, or know of someone who has, in some way we have all been affected by this new phenomenon. At first glance, these types of organizations are seen as valuable, generous and resourceful to countries around the world including South Africa, Mexico and India. However throughout my own experience, education and research, I believe advocates are too quick to praise these associations that combine vacation with charity work. They give a false representation of role models, take jobs away within the local community, glorify the West and give short term solutions for long term problems. Because of this, voluntourism is an exploitative and selfish act that benefits the volunteer more so than the communities in which aid is most needed.

Volunteer tourism, which many people perceive as an ethical alternative to international travel, has been gaining popularity in recent years. The movement arose as an act of altruism to ‘make a difference’ in a short period of time, mainly in the ‘global south’, rather than having a conventional vacation. However, there are various underlying problems associated with volunteer tourism which are not addressed sufficiently. Therefore, in this paper, I have analyzed less visible plights of volunteer tourism which have widened the gap between global ‘East’ and ‘West’, rationalized grassroots problems of developing communities and redefined the initial claims of Volunteer tourism in supporting such communities. Further, I have suggested few alternatives to Volunteer Tourism, which I believe can provide a sustainable model for development in marginalized communities.

This essay will discuss whether international organisations have an important role to play in the planning and development of tourism. Using relevant examples of international organisations such as UNWTO and UNESCO, this essay will analyse how these types of organisations contribute towards the planning and development of tourism. By using Gran Canaria, Serbia, Bosnia, Croatia and the UK as case studies, the essay will produce a clear analogy of how international organisations get involved to help plan, develop and preserve tourist destinations in the hope of a more sustainable future.