The fundamental aim of this study was to analyse the main marketing strategies used in developing and sustaining tourism in the Eastvaal region. An empirical study was conducted amongst the respondents from the local authorities, local tourism organisations, hotels and guesthouses. The information collected was used to write a case about the current reality of tourism marketing in the Eastvaal, which was later evaluated against the ideas presented within the theoretical framework. Furthermore, the study looked at the strategic plans developed by local authorities as well as private sector, which were aimed at encouraging local economic development in general and tourism development in particular. This process was aimed at understanding the effect of private and public sector partnership in the formation of marketing strategies that would impact on sustainable development of tourism industry in the Eastvaal region. A wide range of literature was consulted to understand theoretical base regarding marketing strategies and tourism concepts. However, the study was restricted to the evaluation of the current strategies applied so as to measure their impact in relation to growth and sustainability of tourism in the Eastvaal. Conclusions of the research indicate that an improvement is needed in the current marketing strategies so a to create long-term growth opportunities within the tourism industry. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, 2003.

This quantitative study focused on the KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) based Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), from a tourism perspective, to determine their overall understanding of complexities involved in operating a tourism business; their level of entrepreneurship to drive tourism and economic growth; their ability to acquire and implement fundamental management principles to ensure sustainability of the tourism business and their contribution to job creation. Given the commitment by the South African government to promote small business development, it became imperative to ascertain whether tourism business within the KZN province is driven by an entrepreneurial society which places importance on management principles to realise long-term, tourism and economic growth. A quantitative approach in the form of questionnaires was adopted for this study. A simple random probability sampling approach was implemented. Out of 100 questionnaires distributed, only 35 were suitable for analysis. Overall, the findings of the study revealed that the KZN SMME tourism service providers are characterised by individuals who exhibit high levels of entrepreneurship and who subscribe to effective management principles. Although the findings of the study revealed huge potential for tourism and economic growth through the SMME business activities, it is recommended that a similar study should be conducted by an individual who is independent of Tourism KwaZulu-Natal to establish whether similar results will be obtained. A future study could incorporate a broader scale of SMMEs beyond Durban and surrounding areas and follow a qualitative approach to achieve a maximum response rate. / Thesis (MBA)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2012.

This thesis examines the diversity of print news media frames during different stages of a crisis to enhance a model of media crisis communication, based on a framing analysis of the British print news media’s coverage of the Maldives after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster of 2004. The tourism sector is vulnerable to disasters and crises with a series of recent events ranging from natural disasters and epidemics to terrorists attacks, many of which have had devastating impacts on the economy of destinations. In 2004, one such event of significance for the tourism industry was the 9.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the coast of northwest Sumatra, unleashing a tsunami that destroyed coastal areas in the Indian Ocean region including the Maldives. This disaster led to extensive media coverage, and has highlighted the importance of immediate and strategic communications after a crisis such as this tsunami. This research adopts the theory of framing and applies it during a tourism crisis situation. There is a lack of knowledge about the process of framing in crisis communications in the tourism literature, especially as it relates to the implications for planning and managing a tourism destination during and after a crisis situation. Previous literature on the framing by the media of tourism events and issues has focused on travel articles, advertising and promotion messages. This thesis finds that framing theory is also useful to identify how the news media responds during a crisis and how that knowledge could help improve tourism crisis management. This study analyzes the print news media regarding Maldives tourism in the aftermath of the tsunami crisis, and evaluates the diversity of frames used by the British news media in different stages of a crisis to enable the enhancement of a media crisis communications model in a tourism related context. This research is underpinned by constructivism with an interpretive orientation with the strategy of inquiry based on a qualitative case study method, and aims to understand aspects of the social and cultural contexts interrelating media and tourism. The framing analysis uses newspaper articles from the British press between December 26, 2004 and December 31, 2005 inclusive. The research uses content analysis of the news stories within a framing analysis paradigm, identifying both the diversity of frames used at different times after a disaster or crisis and the media phases that correspond to the last four stages of Faulkner’s (2001) tourism disaster management framework. The framing analysis reveals how the frames change during the different stages of the crisis and contributes to theory development in the areas of media effects, news discourse and crisis management as well as offering practical advice on tourism destination marketing during a crisis situation. The findings from this research contribute to the theory of framing by finding that during the coverage of crises where events are changing rapidly the media frames also change and different frames become predominant during the stages of a crisis. The findings also contribute to the literature on news discourse by providing evidence on the evolution of news discourse concerning a crisis situation over an extended period. By examining the news media crisis communication language as used at various stages of a crisis, the findings reveal that the media’s response and the frames they use differ over time as a crisis evolves, and that this enables the identification of different media roles during a crisis and crisis communication action stages. The result is a model that contributes to theoretical knowledge in media effects research, news discourse and crisis communications.

This thesis examines the diversity of print news media frames during different stages of a crisis to enhance a model of media crisis communication, based on a framing analysis of the British print news media’s coverage of the Maldives after the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster of 2004. The tourism sector is vulnerable to disasters and crises with a series of recent events ranging from natural disasters and epidemics to terrorists attacks, many of which have had devastating impacts on the economy of destinations. In 2004, one such event of significance for the tourism industry was the 9.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the coast of northwest Sumatra, unleashing a tsunami that destroyed coastal areas in the Indian Ocean region including the Maldives. This disaster led to extensive media coverage, and has highlighted the importance of immediate and strategic communications after a crisis such as this tsunami. This research adopts the theory of framing and applies it during a tourism crisis situation. There is a lack of knowledge about the process of framing in crisis communications in the tourism literature, especially as it relates to the implications for planning and managing a tourism destination during and after a crisis situation. Previous literature on the framing by the media of tourism events and issues has focused on travel articles, advertising and promotion messages. This thesis finds that framing theory is also useful to identify how the news media responds during a crisis and how that knowledge could help improve tourism crisis management. This study analyzes the print news media regarding Maldives tourism in the aftermath of the tsunami crisis, and evaluates the diversity of frames used by the British news media in different stages of a crisis to enable the enhancement of a media crisis communications model in a tourism related context. This research is underpinned by constructivism with an interpretive orientation with the strategy of inquiry based on a qualitative case study method, and aims to understand aspects of the social and cultural contexts interrelating media and tourism. The framing analysis uses newspaper articles from the British press between December 26, 2004 and December 31, 2005 inclusive. The research uses content analysis of the news stories within a framing analysis paradigm, identifying both the diversity of frames used at different times after a disaster or crisis and the media phases that correspond to the last four stages of Faulkner’s (2001) tourism disaster management framework. The framing analysis reveals how the frames change during the different stages of the crisis and contributes to theory development in the areas of media effects, news discourse and crisis management as well as offering practical advice on tourism destination marketing during a crisis situation. The findings from this research contribute to the theory of framing by finding that during the coverage of crises where events are changing rapidly the media frames also change and different frames become predominant during the stages of a crisis. The findings also contribute to the literature on news discourse by providing evidence on the evolution of news discourse concerning a crisis situation over an extended period. By examining the news media crisis communication language as used at various stages of a crisis, the findings reveal that the media’s response and the frames they use differ over time as a crisis evolves, and that this enables the identification of different media roles during a crisis and crisis communication action stages. The result is a model that contributes to theoretical knowledge in media effects research, news discourse and crisis communications.

M.Comm. / South Africa is one of the most promising tourism destinations of the African continent. There is no doubt that the extremely positive growth experienced in the South African tourism industry after the elections of April 1994, will continue. The rapid growth in the tourism industry resulted in a shortage of informal accommodation. This shortage is an opportunity for potential entrepreneurs to enter the informal accommodation sector and specifically the guesthouse component. Emerging entrepreneurs however perceive a lack of information on how to enter the industry. The aim of this study is to set guidelines for potential entrepreneurs concerning the strategic decisions involved in the establishing, running and management of a guesthouse. This study commences with a literature review followed by the empirical research. With the literature study emphasis was given to the identification of current tourism trends, specifically regarding the accommodation sector. Entrepreneurship was defined and related theories analysed. Thereafter, the functional management and the daily running of the guesthouse were discussed. The empirical research was of a qualitative nature. A convenience sample was used, consisting of eight guesthouse entrepreneurs on the Garden Route, Western Cape. A structured questionnaire was designed with the literature review as a foundation. Personal interviews were conducted with the eight entrepreneurs. The main findings of the empirical research are as follows: Guesthouse entrepreneurs are faced with the unavailability of financial support in the establishing of the business, numerous staff challenges and a 24-hour owner responsibility. The location of the guesthouse is the single most important establishing factor, while the success of the guesthouse is further determined by the character of the buildings, the nature of the cuisine and the unique atmosphere of the guesthouse. Most guesthouse owners are typical entrepreneurs and are extremely creative. Financial-, marketing- and human resource management are often the responsibility of the owner. Most guesthouse entrepreneurs do not posses formal knowledge and experience regarding the management of the guesthouse. The guesthouse is usually an extension of the entrepreneur's personality; a high level of owner involvement is required at all times to ensure profitability. Personalised attention is most often the keyword to the guesthouse entrepreneur's success. The guesthouse is a most rewarding type of business to be involved in.

The role of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) as a facilitator and enabler for development and poverty reduction has been increasingly recognised by many international organisations. ICTs need to be diffused in society to have their effects realised. The diffusion of ICTs in developing countries is lagging behind the developed countries creating the digital divide. Although the divide is reducing in many sub-Saharan countries, in Ethiopia it is increasing. The purpose of this study is to find the factors that affect the adoption and nonadoption of ICTs in small and micro businesses in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. A number of sectors were explored and the hotel and tour operator sector was found to have both adopters and non-adopters. The hotel and tour operator business in Addis Ababa was selected to be the study population. The main research question was to find the connection between the political, economic, and social factors and the adoption and use of ICT in this sector. While cultural, social-economic, political and legal factors affect the adoption of innovation in both developed and developing countries, these factors are more pronounced in the developing countries. Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory is a good initial theoretical candidate for understanding the ICT diffusion factors. However, to include the national level factors, a theoretical framework was proposed based on Rogers’ diffusion of innovation theory. An exploratory research method was used to shed light on the adoption and non-adoption factors. It uses mixed methods research methodology in two phases to collect data from owners/managers. In the first phase in-depth interviews were conducted with 16 hoteliers who adopted ICT in their businesses. In the second phase survey questionnaires were used to collect data from 128 hoteliers and 57 tour operators. In this phase both adopters and non-adopters of ICT were included. Data were analysed using NVivo and Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) software packages. This study argues that the telecommunications monopoly, the non-affordability of ICT products and services, the general economic situation, lack of knowledge and awareness of the technology, and lack of legal protection for small hotels affect the adoption negatively. On the other hand, network externalities, competition among hoteliers, and major customers (foreign) act as a facilitator agent and have a positive impact on the adoption of ICT. The researcher argues that the political, social, economic, technological and legal policies are the sources of the adoption and non-adoption factors of ICTs in the hotel and tour operator business.

The thesis is focused on a relatively new concept of wine tourism in France. The main aim of this work is to evaluate a current situation of wine tourism in a region of Burgundy based on existing demand and supply. A partial objective is to evaluate an organization and cooperation of entities within the destination. The theoretical part deals with basic characteristics of wine tourism and destination management. The practical part is largely based on the analysis of current wine tourism demand and supply leading to an overall evaluation of wine tourism destination of Burgundy.

Crisis management has come into the public’s attention since the outbreak of thecorona virus Covid-19 in December 2019. The aim of this study is to describethe pre-existing conditions in three Swedish tourism-dependent municipalities with regards to their crisis preparedness. Furthermore, this thesis will explore what measures the municipalities undertake during the corona pandemic to helpthe tourism industry cope with the negative consequences of the crisis situation. This thesis has explored the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to Arjeplog, Malung-Sälen and Älvdalens crisis preparedness before the outbreakof the corona pandemic. With the use of municipal planning documents and qualitative interviews with key municipal officials the pre-existing conditions are presented to create a backdrop to how the pandemic and its effects on the tourism industry unfolded in the municipalities. The planning documents have been analyzed through the use of documentary content analysis. The results show that the municipalities crisis preparedness is influenced by prior experience in crisis management and that the municipalities crisis management organizations are very much alike. The tourism industry in the municipalities is heavily affected by the corona pandemic with rising unemployment rates and local tourism businesses struggling to keep from bankruptcy. All three municipalities have implemented similar specific crisis management strategiesto ease the negative consequences of the corona pandemic on the tourismindustry.

<div> <div> <div> <p>This study investigates the expressive design attributes of souvenir design preferred by tourists by comparing and contrasting preferences and perceptions of tourists from two different cultural groups. The study used a conjoint design to allow respondents to rank their preferences of sampled souvenirs which represents various expressive design attributes of souvenirs. This study uses conjoint analysis to test the relationship between those expressive attributes and tourists’ perceived value and purchase intention. The results showed that the three expressive attributes, namely Makers’ Mark attribute, Iconofetish attribute, and Relational attribute impact American and Chinese tourists perceived values of souvenirs and purchase intentions. The part-worth utility score indicates that comparatively speaking, American tourists prefer souvenirs with a dominant makers’ mark and those that are connected to the local place or local people. On the other hand, Chinese tourists prefer souvenirs with a domestic iconofetish feature. This study highlights the relationship between the four perceived value – perceived functional value, perceived emotional value, perceived social value, and perceived novelty value – and the purchase intention, using Spearman’s correlation. These results contribute to the literature of souvenir design. The culturally based preferences between the US and Chinese tourists allow designers and retailers to create and design souvenirs based on their preferred expressive attributes. </p> </div> </div> </div>

The concept of geopark was first proposed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in 1999. After that, geotourism emerged as a novel strategy for sustainable development in rural areas. Tourism carrying capacity is a concept related to the optimum use of natural areas without creating environmental degradation. This concept has been widely employed in nature tourism in national parks. To apply the carrying capacity concept in global geoparks, the purpose of this study is to remodel existing tourism carrying capacity frameworks to foster sustainable use of global geoparks. A review of the development of carrying capacity concept and six tourism carrying capacity frameworks, namely, Recreation Opportunity Spectrum (ROS), Limits of Acceptable Change (LAC), Visitor Impact Management (VIM), Visitor Experience and Resource Protection (VERP), Visitor Activity Management Process (VAMP), and Tourism Optimization Management Model (TOMM) in Chapter 2 demonstrates that tourism carrying capacity concept is able to raise the awareness on sustainable tourism in national parks but these traditional tourism carrying capacity frameworks commonly failed to address the interests of all stakeholders. Thus, this thesis adopts the definition of tourism carrying capacity for geoparks as the situation or condition of a geopark where there is reconciliation (i.e., having balance and harmony) of environmental conservation, social maintenance, and economic development. Based on the three aspects (i.e., environmental conservation, social maintenance, and economic development) of this concept, a tailor-made framework for global geoparks was built in Chapter 3, using confirmatory factor analysis and the revised importance-performance analysis to evaluate tourism carrying capacity in Global Geoparks. Then the modified tourism carrying capacity framework was applied in two UNESCO Global Geoparks, namely, Hong Kong Global Geopark and Danxiashan Global Geopark, to address the inherent tensions between resources conservation and sustainable development in both Geoparks in Chapters 4 and 5. It was found that 1) there was compatibility only among the three dimensions, namely, environmental conservation, social maintenance, and economic development in two Geoparks; 2) the structure of the framework and the compatibility of the three dimensions can only be confirmed in the local community model (Figure 3.3) by the importance data of factors, i.e., resource, human environment, and facility. No validity can be established in the construct of the GGN model on the local community's satisfaction of the overall environments in two Parks and neither is there an agreement between the visitors in both Parks with the GGN criteria; and 3) from the satisfaction data on the three factors of the visitor model (Figure 3.4), i.e., environmental carrying capacity, political-economic carrying capacity, and socio-demographic carrying capacity, it shows that HKGP appears to be more sustainably managed than DXSGP. Collectively, this study has provided a new framework for evaluating tourism carrying capacity in a geopark. I hope to advance the methodological innovation of sustainable geotourism management and supplement the lacuna of criteria and standards for Global Geoparks in future studies.