Since the reintroduction of South Africa into the international community, tourism has been emphasised, through policy and public speech, as a means to achieve socio-economic upliftment and job creation. Although tourism has potential to contribute to a country's wellbeing, its implementation may introduce many complexities and potentially undesirable consequences. One way of alleviating some of the negative consequences of tourism, is through sufficiently involving communities in the tourism development and execution process. Most often the emphasis on involving local communities in tourism development has been rural based. The move to include previously disadvantaged urban communities, has been less well articulated. Local government authorities have only recently been given responsibility for both community involved tourism development and local economic development, and are therefore still formulating their approach to address these issues. Within KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) there are relatively few government projects currently concentrating on community-based tourism in urban and peri-urban areas. This project looks at one of these initiatives to build a case for sustainable community-based urban tourism. The Freedom Experience is a predominantly urban-based heritage tourism initiative proposed by the Pietermaritzburg-Msunduzi Transitional Local Council for development within Pietermaritzburg and surrounding areas. Georgetown is a previously neglected area falling within this region and is used as a case study to explore the process of participation in urban tourism development. The key stakeholders involved in tourism development within KZN are ascertained and interviewed. Difficulties and opportunities are identified for community-based urban tourism development in general, and for the case study area in particular. Due to idiosyncratic characteristics of individual situations and communities, any specified procedure for community participation, and any organization involved with its implementation, needs to be flexible. A process is, suggested, which attempts to avoid the dualistic nature of either top-down or bottom-up approaches to tourism development. It introduces a less rigid approach, which breaks from the view that decision-making needs to be conceptualised within a hierarchical context. Communication and decision-making responsibility and accountability are shared between various levels. An approach is presented, which supports small scale community and tourism development projects linking into an overarching development framework. This approach should result in sustainable development, bringing community benefits which can be immediately effective. It advocates the establishment of self-supporting enterprises which function successfully, independent of tourist demand. In this way contributing to the fulfilment of socio-economic, job creation and related capacity building objectives, without relying on an influx of tourists from a historically disloyal and unpredictable consumer base. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

The recent incorporation of Ximba into a metro boundary (the Outer West substructure of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal) has highlighted the imbalances between rural and urban communities and created the need to redress them. Currently, the main issues facing the AmaXimba are economic generation and job creation. Solutions are possible through development of the industrial, residential, agricultural and/or tourism sectors. Recourse to analysis of the physical environment, as well as stakeholders and their interactions, informs the study and provides the means ofdetermining the best practical developmental option for Ximba. The suggestion is made that none ofthe sectors by themselves are viable and all must be developed in conjunction with each other. As there is a greater inherent tourism potential, the focus ofthe study shifts to the tourism milieu in Ximba. Tourism issues revolve around what type of tourism Ximba should develop as well as the best developmental pathway to pursue. Options open to Ximba include independent development, or development in conjunction with neighbouring areas. Thus, the focus ofthe study broadens to explore the wider tourism milieu in the Outer West, in particular the RI03 (Botha's Hill to Cato Ridge) route. The current status oftourism in the two areas is assessed as is the potential impact from future development projects and commonalities between the two areas are determined. Stakeholder visions provide the means for determining possible constraints to, and considerations for, tourism development. These include attempts to determine the current economic climate prevailing along the RI03; analysis ofthe crime situation and the media's influences thereon; and physical constraints, particularly water quality. Results indicate that a variable economic climate prevails, crime is a problem within the area and factors aggravating the crime perception are considered. Water quality ofthe Msunduzi is not suitable for recreational tourism. Issues raised for consideration included determining developmental routes that could be imposed on the Outer West from a higher authority, the requirements for nature-based tourism incorporating cultural tourism, tour operators' requirements, community characteristics and factors surrounding the bed and breakfast industry. Ideas for the development of a combined and expanded tourism route are provided. An analysis ofthe strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and 11 threats (SWOT) of the tourism milieu highlights factors to be concentrated on and suggestions are made for driving tourism in the combined XimbaIRI03 milieu. The study concludes by considering key factors necessary for devising tourism policy in Ximba, as well as possible means of implementation. Consideration is also given to tourism as an agent of change. / Thesis (M.Env.Dev.)-University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 1998.

Tourism development in remote areas of South Africa is often being proposed as the solution to poor rural communities' development needs. However, experience indicates that tourism development can result in a negative impact on a community's culture and way of life. The issue of sustainable development and what it means sets a base in which the research looked at tourism in rural areas. The case study on the impact ofthe redevelopment ofLilani Hot Springs as a tourist resort focusses on both the people and environment. The historical context ofthe hot springs, their discovery, development and the demise ofthe old resort is investigated. This was undertaken so that lessons learnt from the past can be taken into consideration with the future development of the resort. This study has included investigating the viability and sustainability of such a tourist resort in the Umvoti Magisterial District and in a rural environment. By focussing on the Lilani community, this research project explores the key factors which have been identified as essential if long-term sustainable tourism is to be achieved in remote rural communities. An appropriate planning approach which stresses local participation and decision-making within the context of a holistic strategy for community development is subsequently proposed. Tourism has the potential ofprotecting the environment while providing social and economic benefits to the local communities. Clearly ifthe socio-economic needs ofthe local community in which a tourism development is set are not addressed, it will not succeed but ifthe natural environment, which is the very asset on which the tourism development is dependent upon, is not protected the resource which is the source of attracting tourists will be destroyed. / Thesis (M.Sc.) - University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2000.

Rural community participation in tourism-based developments in and around protected areas has emerged as a major trend in the Developing world during the last three decades. The basic design of rural community participation in tourism-based developments involves the empowerment of rural communities to participate in such a way in the planning and management of these developments that they have a greater level of control on the effects that these developments have on them and on their environment. The motivation behind the popularity of the approach towards participatory development stems from the dissatisfaction with the centrally driven, top-down type of development that originated during the previous century and out of a desire to purposefully involve rural communities to the extent where they can effectively and sustainably develop and manage their resources. The research of this study presents an analysis of the participation of the Mbila community of the Sodwana Bay National Park in the tourism-based developments of the region. The literature in the study revealed that the principal fundamentals of rural community participation in tourism-based developments reside in the empowerment of the community to be able to involve themselves sufficiently in the tourism-based developments of their region. The focus of the research was therefore on determining the quality of the empowerment that the Mbila community enjoy and on the subsequent levels of control that this empowerment provides them with. The research results revealed however, that although the community seems to be sufficiently empowered to legally participate in the tourism-based developments of their area, they are still not involved to the degree that this participation generates meaningful changes to their overall livelihood. The reasons for these low levels of participation include aspects such as the harshness of the physical environment and the subsequent limited development opportunities in the area; the prevalence of insufficient levels of education and training; difficulties experienced in the communication between some of the institutions and the presence of certain forms of restrictive legislation. The study argues that satisfactory levels of participation can only be achieved if these difficulties are overcome to the extent where they permit community participation that achieves the enhancement of the quality of life for the Mbila community. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc)--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorology / MSc / Unrestricted

Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy in the subject Isizulu Namagugu at the University of Zululand, 2002. / This study comes from the direction of investigating and arriving at an option that can be looked as an alternative for the economic development of the area of e’Ndondakusuka. Different researches have been conducted in the area since the introduction of RDP policy. The then Mandeni, was seen as having social and economic depression, and investigations were conducted in order to look at the v part of it. The area's council started to initiate discussions that resulted to workshops, workshops that led to implementation strategies being recommended for the area. Cultural and Historical tourism was seen as one of the ways to explore in order to provide solutions to the declining social and economic facets of the area. This study, therefore has established its route and baseline measure along the lines of the above but highlighting the Anglo-Zulu War as means to an end. The route starts by outlining e'Ndondakusuka sub-cluster of historical sites the Kraal / umuzi, the Cultural centre and a Conference centre as core facilities on the same site and ends at Ulundi. The reason for it to end there is that the significance of these wars was based on the British soldiers following Cetshwayo to Ulundi. The road R66, which starts from R102 around Gingindlovu, passing through Eshowe, Melmoth and joined by Ulundi road, is the baseline of the Anglo-Zulu War route. Options in terms of how the route could be made to attract crafters in order for them to find markets, have been emphasized. Options in terms of how inland tourism could be made to interchange with the coastal tourism, have been made mention of. Because the route is mainly grounded around and on Anglo-Zulu War significance, it is therefore seen as of both national and international attraction

No abstract available. / Thesis (M.T.R.P.)-University of Natal, 2000.

The exponential growth of the gambling industry in South Africa has been the consequence of liberalized gambling laws. Casinos that were previously restricted to the homeland regions of the country have now become a common urban phenomenon that is easily accessible. Casino developments are still at an early stage of development, but the wide-scale consumption and popularity of the product has generated numerous debates over the cost and benefits associated with the industry. Whilst proponents of casino developments tend to emphasize the economic benefits, the opponents highlight the inevitable social costs, generated by the industry. The aim of this study is to determine the social and economic impacts of the Sugar Mill Casino and the Golden Horse Casino on the Mount Edgecombe and Pietermaritzburg communities respectively. These impacts have been assessed by making use of both quantitative and qualitative data sources. The findings suggests that both the Golden Horse Casino and the Sugar Mill Casino have afforded their respective communities economic benefits and growth opportunities in the form of firstly, the initial capital investment of the casinos, and secondly, by the subsequent revenues generated by the industry. However, the industry has also generated social costs that have been encountered mainly by those individuals who do not have control over their gambling practices, and are thus classified as problem gamblers. Problem gambling tendencies result in a host of psychological, financial and physical repercussions that are manifested at a personal and interpersonal level. If the casino gambling industry is expected to be of any benefit to the Pietermaritzburg and Mount Edgecombe regions, the economic gains of the industry have to be maximized whilst ensuring that the negative social cost remain minimal. Balancing these impacts remains imperative to the mutual sustainability of the casinos and their respective communities. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

Tourism is globally rated as the World's biggest industry by gross domestic product. In South Africa it is hoped that the tourism industry will show growth that will positively affect the economy of the country. In particular, as tourism is noted as a labour intensive industry, it is expected that growth in this sector will create many jobs. In order to support this growth this study examines the need for tourism tertiary education and in particular how the use of soft systems methodologies is able to guide the management team of a tertiary institution as it re-examines the responses of the institution to influences that surround tertiary tourism education. The problem of tertiary tourism education proves to be particularly complex and unstructured in that it requires the coordination of many traditional disciplines that are each able to contribute elements to the study of tourism. Stemming from conventional scientific method a tradition of isolationism has evolved whereby individual elements of the tourism system operate independently with little interaction with other elements. Systems thinking recognises the interdependence and interrelatedness of all the elements in a system not least human elements. Although traditionally excluded from study, the subjective values and beliefs of people are actively solicited by systems thinkers who propose that only by embracing these beliefs, in a value full inquiry, is it possible to establish a self learning and self modifying education system suited to the changing demands of a turbulent industry such as tourism. The primary purpose of this work is to use systems thinking to build and implement a framework for improvement by restructuring tourism education in a large tertiary institution. The research intends to plot the course of change and organisational learning as the tertiary institution endeavours to re-align itself to the ever changing requirements of its customers. The dissertation does not seek, nor does it find, a neat packaged solution to the messy problem of tertiary tourism education in KwaZulu-Natal. This is not in the nature of soft systems thinking, which is about inquiry and better ways of seeing, and not primarily about proving or disproving hypotheses. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1999.

Media promoting cultural tourism is argued to present specific romantic cultural attributes. In the case of Zulu cultural villages, the image offered is of militarism and bare-breasted maidens. The Western gaze offers the template within which such spectacle is constructed. PheZulu Safari Park is one such venture in the KwaZulu-Natal midlands that offers tourists a "uniquely African experience". Cell phones are rapidly proving to be a viable and accessible medium through which individuals can represent themselves. This dissertation evaluates the use of camera-enabled cell phones by Zulu cultural village performers. The subject-generated representation is analysed in order to assess the performers‘ view of the typical Zulu representation in the media, using a participatory video and participatory communication for development framework. A qualitative methodology was used to conduct focus groups, with field notes and unstructured interviews adding depth to the data. Thematic analysis was applied to the collected data, which included the cellphilms produced by the cultural performers. It was found that video enabled cell phones are indeed a viable technology to use in place of traditional digital video cameras in a participatory video project. The cellphilms that the participants produced negated the typical western media disseminated representation of Zulu culture, as is typified in the participants‘ performance at PheZulu Cultural Village. Although the cellphilms were not specifically targeted at promoting their cultural performance at PheZulu, significantly, it was not dismissing their performance‘s validity either. Instead, the participants used the cellphilms to express other, more personal, aspects of their culture. / M.Soc.Sc. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2013.

This dissertation critically evaluates the intersections of tourism, heritage conservation, and visual communication by exploring the display materials and Museology within the Didima Rock Art Centre, at Cathedral Peak, southern Drakensberg, KwaZulu-Natal. The text consists of three chapters. The first chapter introduces rock art and current research and conservation concerns in relation to heritage and rock art. The second chapter serves as an introduction to the Didima Rock Art Centre. A discussion raises important issues about visual communication in regard to the representation of the Southern San and rock art as material culture both in this museum context. Chapter three investigates and analyses the museum practices that have been used as a visual communication within the Centre by discussing methods that have been used in the museum and its auditorium. A conclusion follows that summarizes the candidate's findings regarding museum display within the Centre, and its impact on tourism and heritage conservation in relation to the Southern San and rock art. / Thesis (M.A.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2006.