Tourism, as an industry, has a great impact on society and the environment. It adds to economic growth; and therefore, many governments try to enhance tourism because they realise the potential economic returns. Within each country, there are towns or cities that have great tourism potential. In South Africa, Knysna is a good example of a small town with great tourism potential. This study examines the critical success factors of tourism destination marketing for the town of Knysna. Most South Africans see Knysna as an ideal holiday destination, as it has the infrastructure and offerings to make tourists' holidays unforgettable. However, unfortunately, in recent times bad publicity has caused Knysna's image to be damaged. To improve the town's image and to add to its economic growth, tourism bodies and the community have had to work together to ensure that Knysna sustains its position in the national and international tourism markets. The best way to achieve this is through effective destination management and destination marketing. The aim of this study is to determine how effective destination management and destination marketing can lead to competitive growth and to enhancing a destination's position in the tourism industry, and also to providing a set of practical guidelines for the successful implementation of the destination marketing of the town of Knysna. A literature study was conducted to find out what the theory reveals about destination management and marketing. This was followed by an empirical survey; and this survey was conducted in Knysna in the Western Cape. The results of the survey were compared with the literature and tourism operators and managers can now use these as a point of departure to fill any gaps, thus leading to the optimal positioning of Knysna on the international tourism map.

Abstract in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa / The problem investigated in this study is the lack or poor use of local stories by destination managers in the marketing of their destinations. This neglect of the potential use of local stories limits the potential market share, especially of small towns. This study is based on the role of storytelling in the marketing sphere as a whole and specifically in the tourism industry. Key components of storytelling in marketing are identified and analysed along with existing narrative marketing models. In the process of developing and implementing a narrative-based destinations marketing model, the focus is on small towns in South Africa. The study aims to achieve the following: fill the void in the South African literature in destination marketing; document the storytelling process; and develop a workable, strategic destination marketing model, and implement this model. In achieving the secondary objectives, the study succeeded in its primary objective, namely to develop a three-legged pot or story pot (“driepootpot”) marketing model. The narrative destination marketing model was developed through quantitative and qualitative research in area served by the Drakenstein Municipality, located in the Western Cape in South Africa. A combination of phenomenology and grounded theory was used to analyse the data. / Ingxaki ephandwayo kwesi sifundo kukunqaba okanye kukusetyenziswa buthathaka kwamabali endawo ngabaphathi beendawo xa beququzelela ukuthengwa kweendawo zabo. Oku kungawasebenzisi amabali endawo kucutha isabelo sengeniso, ngakumbi kwiidolophana ezincinci. Esi sifundo sisekelwe kwindima yokubalisa amabali ekuququzeleleni intengo, ngakumbi kurhwebo lokhenketho. Kuchongwe, kwahlalutywa amanqanaba aphambili okubalisa amabali, kwaqwalaselwa neendlela zokuququzelela intengo ngokubalisa. Kwinkqubo yokuphuhlisa nokusebenzisa indlela yokuququzelela intengo ngokubalisa amabali endawo, kugxininiswe kwiidolophana ezincinci eMzantsi Afrika. Esi sifundo sijonge ukufezekisa ezi njongo zilandelayo: ukuvala isikhewu esikhoyo kuncwadi loMzantsi Afrika malunga nokuququzelela intengo ngokubalisa amabali endawo; ukubhala inkqubo yokubalisa amabali; nokuphuhlisa indlela esebenzayo yokuququzelela intengo ngokubalisa amabali endawo kwanokuyisebenzisa le ndlela iphuhlisiweyo. Ekufezekiseni iinjongo ezayamileyo, isifundo esi siphumelele ekufezekiseni injongo engundoqo, leyo ikukuphuhlisa indlela yokuququzelela intengo eyimbiza emilenze mithathu okanye imbiza yamabali (“driepootpot”). Indlela yokuququzelela intengo ngokubalisa amabali endawo yaphuhliswa ngokuqhuba uphando ngokuzathuza nangokobuninzi bedatha kwisithili esiphantsi koMasipala iDrakenstein, kwiphondo leNtshona Koloni eMzantsi Afrika. Idatha ihlalutywe ngokuxuba iingcingane zobume bamava (iphenomenology) neyentsingiselo yedatha eqokelelweyo (igrounded theory). / Die probleem wat in hierdie studie ondersoek word, is die gebrek of swak gebruik van verhale deur plaaslike bestemmingsbestuurders in die bemarking van hul bestemmings. Hierdie verwaarlosing van die potensiële gebruik van plaaslike verhale en stories beperk die potensiële markaandeel van veral klein dorpies. Hierdie studie is gegrond op die rol van vertelkuns (storytelling) in die bemarkingsfeer as geheel en spesifiek in die toerismebedryf. Sleutelkomponente van storievertelling in bemarking word geïdentifiseer en ontleed saam met bestaande narratiewe bemarkingsmodelle. In die proses om ’n verhaal-gebaseerde bemarkingsmodel vir bestemmings te ontwikkel en te implementeer, val die fokus op klein dorpies in Suid-Afrika. Die studie het ten doel om die volgende te bereik: die leemte te vul in die Suid-Afrikaanse literatuur ten opsigte van bestemming bemarking; die verhaalproses te dokumenteer; en ’n werkbare, strategiese bemarkingsmodel vir bestemmings te ontwikkel vir implementering. Deur die sekondêre doelwitte te behaal, het die studie daarin geslaag om sy primêre doel te bereik, naamlik om ’n driepootpot-verhaalbemarkingsmodel te ontwikkel. Die driepootpot-verhaalbemarkingsmodel vir bestemmings is ontwikkel deur middel van kwantitatiewe en kwalitatiewe navorsing in gebied wat deur die Drakenstein Munisipaliteit, geleë in die Wes-Kaap in Suid-Afrika, gedien word. ’n Kombinasie van fenomenologie en gegronde teorie is gebruik om die data te analiseer. / Business Management / D. Phil. (Bestuurstudie)