Thesis (M.Tech.: Tourism and Hospitality Management)-Durban University of Technology, 2007 xi, 130 leaves / Tourism is one of the world's major industries and is increasing in importance as a source of substantial employment and of great economical and social benefit to many regions around the world. China has the world’s largest population and it has been predicted that China will become one of the world’s major sources of international travellers in the 21st century. Although the outbound travel industry in China has only been developing in recent years, there has been an increasing number of outbound Chinese going all over the world. South Africa is one of the countries that are beginning to be penetrated by the emerging Chinese outbound traveller market. The purpose of this study is to examine the South Africa inbound tourism industry’s readiness for the increasing Chinese tourist market to South Africa and also to examine South Africa as a secondary international destination for the Chinese traveller. The study also aims to explore the Chinese travellers’ interests and major concerns when travelling to South Africa and the expectations of the inbound tour operators in Shanghai. A purposive sample of 118 respondents from Shanghai’s tourism industry participated in the study.

Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for Master Degree of Technelogy: Marketing, Durban University of Technology, 2008. / The South African tourism industry is becoming an important service sector in this country, which is attracting increasing international tourists in recent years. China, as a fast developing country, will be exerting greater influence on the development of tourism worldwide over the next decade. In particular, the impact of rapid growth of China's outbound tourism market has been felt by South Africa. A feature that South Africa's tourism marketers need to understand is the different demographics of the Chinese population and their different perceptions on SouthAfrican tourism. The purpose of this study is to identify, analyze and evaluate factors that could impact positively and/or negatively on the image of South Africa as a tourist destination among prospective tourists from China. It examines the opinions and perceptions of Chinese tourists in Shanghai. The research evaluates the kinds of perceptions and attitudes held by Chinese tourists towards South African tourism. The study was conducted with the assistance of fieldworkers in Shanghai who helped the research complete all the interviews and questionnaires. Data was analysed through the Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS), and findings, conclusions, and recommendations are presented. The study provides the recommendations to South African tourism organizations to take into considerationthe seriousness of Chinese tourists' understanding and perceptions towards South Africa as an emerging tourism destination as results indicate that many Chinese tourists do not quite understand South Africa and lack proper knowledge and information. Findings indicated that, although many Chinese tourists do know about South Africa as a tourist destination, they do / M

Thesis (M.Tech.: Tourism and Hospitality Management)-Durban University of Technology, 2007 xi, 130 leaves / Tourism is one of the world's major industries and is increasing in importance as a source of substantial employment and of great economical and social benefit to many regions around the world. China has the world’s largest population and it has been predicted that China will become one of the world’s major sources of international travellers in the 21st century. Although the outbound travel industry in China has only been developing in recent years, there has been an increasing number of outbound Chinese going all over the world. South Africa is one of the countries that are beginning to be penetrated by the emerging Chinese outbound traveller market. The purpose of this study is to examine the South Africa inbound tourism industry’s readiness for the increasing Chinese tourist market to South Africa and also to examine South Africa as a secondary international destination for the Chinese traveller. The study also aims to explore the Chinese travellers’ interests and major concerns when travelling to South Africa and the expectations of the inbound tour operators in Shanghai. A purposive sample of 118 respondents from Shanghai’s tourism industry participated in the study.

Thesis (MBA (Business Management))--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this report is to provide detailed insights into the marketing of services, specifically in the airline and travel agency industries. Therefore, the report firstly presents the existing literature, narrowing down the view from the traditional marketing approach with the 4P to the 7P approach for service marketing. As a final step, the few sources on airline and travel agency marketing are evaluated to identify gaps in the current research. Following this overview, the report explains the current situation within the airline and travel agency industries. The players in these markets currently face significant challenges, namely the competitive structure, changing booking behaviours, increasing competition of low-cost airlines, the rise of oil prices, increasing activities for environmental protection, structural problems of the major aircraft manufacturers, the open skies agreement between Europe and the US, and the current economic crisis. In order to successfully compete in this challenging environment, airlines as well as travel agencies need to understand the needs and preferences of their potential customers very clearly. Consequently, the researcher conducted a survey amongst passengers from Germany to South Africa in order to gain information on these preferences. This questionnaire aims to clearly identify the major decision-making factors of the passengers when choosing an airline or booking channel. Knowledge regarding these decision-making factors enables companies to design their offering in a way that the needs and preferences of passengers are optimally met, while the airline or travel agency can still operate profitably. The survey was posted online and 185 respondents across all age groups participated. The main insights of the results are that the price clearly is the dominant decision-making factor for both the choice of the airline and the choice of the booking channel. Furthermore, several hypotheses, which could be extracted from the literature, are tested. It is found that for travel agencies, the consulting services do not have any significant impact on the decision of the passengers. Their perceived competency, however, does play a reasonably important role and is consequently a factor that needs to be considered by travel agencies when designing the offer. For airlines, the flight schedule clearly constitutes the second most important factor. While the brand is at least considered fairly important, frequent flyer programmes, as well as the membership in an alliance, are not considered to be important at all for the decision of the airline. The report nevertheless explains why the membership in an alliance does, in reality, have significant positive effects on the performance of an airline, specifically through the positive impact on operating cost and improvements in the flight schedule. As a final step, the results are compared to a similar survey conducted by Wise Research Ltd. (2008: 3) and Lufthansa (Euler, 2005: 8). It is found that there are only slight variances between the results. A possible explanation for the variances could be that the economic environment has changed. Also cultural differences and differences between short- and long-haul flights are considered. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie verslag het die verskaffing van gedetailleerde insig in die bemarking van dienste ten doel, spesifiek in die lugredery- en reisagentskapbedrywe. Daarom bied die verslag eerstens die bestaande literatuur aan, terwyl die beskouing van die tradisionele bemarkingsbenadering met die 4P- tot die 7P-benadering vir diensbemarking vernou word. Laastens word die enkele bronne wat lugredery- en reisagentskapbemarking behandel, geëvalueer om leemtes in die bestaande literatuur te identifiseer. Na hierdie oorsig, verduidelik die verslag die huidige situasie in die lugredery- en reisagentskapbedrywe. Die rolspelers in hierdie markte kom voor beduidende uitdagings te staan, naamlik veranderende besprekingsgedrag, toenemende mededinging van laekoste-lugrederye, stygende oliepryse, toenemende optrede vir omgewingsbeskerming, strukturele probleme van die vername vliegtuigvervaardigers, die Oop Lugruimooreenkoms (Engels: Open Skies agreement) tussen Europa en die VSA, en die huidige ekonomiese krisis. Om suksesvol in hierdie uitdagende milieu mee te ding, moet lugrederye en reisagentskappe die behoeftes en voorkeure van hul moontlike kliënte baie duidelik begryp. Gevolglik het die navorser ʼn opname gemaak onder passasiers onderweg van Duitsland na Suid-Afrika om inligting omtrent hierdie voorkeure in te samel. Hierdie vraelys het beoog om die vername besluitnemingsfaktore van passasiers te identifiseer wanneer hulle ʼn lugredery of besprekingskanaal kies. Kennis omtrent hierdie besluitnemingsfaktore stel maatskappye in staat om hul aanbieding so te ontwerp dat die behoeftes en voorkeure van passasiers optimaal nagekom word, terwyl die lugredery of reisagentskap steeds winsgewend bedryf kan word. Die opname is aanlyn geplaas en 185 mense vanuit alle ouderdomsgroepe het deelgeneem. Die hoofinsigte van die resultate is dat prys duidelik die oorheersende besluitnemingsfaktor in beide die keuse van lugredery én die keuse van besprekingskanaal is. Verder is verskeie hipoteses wat vanuit die literatuur onttrek kon word, getoets. Vir reisagentskappe word daar bevind dat die konsultasiedienste geen beduidende invloed op die besluitneming van passasiers het nie. Daarteenoor speel hul vermeende bekwaamheid ʼn redelik belangrike rol en is gevolglik ʼn faktor wat deur reisagentskappe oorweeg moet word wanneer die aanbieding ontwerp word. Vir lugrederye is die vlugskedule duidelik die tweede belangrikste faktor. Terwyl die handelsmerk as minstens redelik belangrik beskou word, word gereëlde vlieërprogramme, asook die lidmaatskap van ʼn assosiasie, glad nie as belangrik beskou vir die keuse van lugredery nie. Die verslag verduidelik hoekom die lidmaatskap van ʼn assosiasie nieteenstaande in werklikheid beduidende voordelige invloede op die prestasie van ʼn lugredery het, spesifiek deur die voordelige invloed op bedryfskostes en verbeterings aan die vlugskedule. In ʼn finale stap word die resultate vergelyk met dié van ʼn soortgelyke opnames gemaak deur Wise Research Ltd. (2008: 3) en Lufthansa (Euler, 2005: 8). Daar word bevind dat daar slegs klein verskille in die bevindinge voorkom. ʼn Moontlike verduideliking van die verskille is dat die ekonomiese milieu verander het. Kulturele verskille tussen kort en lang afstand vlugte word ook oorweeg.

Dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology (Marketing) in the Department of Marketing, Retail and Public Relations, Faculty of Management Science, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Generally the study intends to determine the perception of tourists on the issues of safety and security during their visit to Mpumalanga. In particular, the study will firstly aim to ascertain whether visitors to Mpumalanga felt unsafe, and if so, to what extent. Secondly, the study will work towards ascertaining whether the tourists choose to limit their activities because they related to their perceptions of crime and safety in Mpumalanga. Lastly, the study will try to establish whether specific demographic factors of the respondents related to their perceptions of crime and safety in Mpumalanga. The research was quantitative in nature. The data was gathered from approximately 400 tourists in Mpumalanga. These respondents were extracted from a bigger population of tourists that utilised tourist destinations in Mpumalanga. The 400 respondents were randomly selected to complete the questionnaire at the time of their departure. The responses were analysed using the Statistical package of social science (SPSS) statistical analysis computer programme. This software helped to organise the data into tables, charts and graphs and also perform statistical calculations that were pertinent to the data analysis process. The questionnaire was administered on a sample of 400 of which 40% were males and 60% were females. From the whole group, most were between 32 and 42 years of age and 57% of this sample was earning between R5001 and R1000 per month. Most of the respondents were from Africa, with some from South Africa, followed by Europe, America and Asia. A greater number of respondents were actually on holiday with some coming for different purposes like visiting family, friends or doing business. Data shows majority of respondents not encountering any crime related incidences with 19% actually being victims of different types of crime, from xiii harassment to being robbed. Even within these unfortunate incidences, there was some degree of safety for a bigger number of visitors and most felt safe to tour during the day and using public transport while 60% felt unsafe to walk along the streets at night. The perception of safety at night and at place of accommodation varied with age, gender, country of origin and monthly income. Based on the finding from this study the issue of safety and security was a concern to tourists such that it was suggested that: there should be dissemination of information on safety to tourists, development of safety and security policies for tourism, improvement of public transport and participation of police in tourism in order to improve the situation.

Dissertation submitted in compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology (Marketing) in the Department of Marketing, Retail and Public Relations, Faculty of Management Science, Durban University of Technology, 2009. / Generally the study intends to determine the perception of tourists on the issues of safety and security during their visit to Mpumalanga. In particular, the study will firstly aim to ascertain whether visitors to Mpumalanga felt unsafe, and if so, to what extent. Secondly, the study will work towards ascertaining whether the tourists choose to limit their activities because they related to their perceptions of crime and safety in Mpumalanga. Lastly, the study will try to establish whether specific demographic factors of the respondents related to their perceptions of crime and safety in Mpumalanga. The research was quantitative in nature. The data was gathered from approximately 400 tourists in Mpumalanga. These respondents were extracted from a bigger population of tourists that utilised tourist destinations in Mpumalanga. The 400 respondents were randomly selected to complete the questionnaire at the time of their departure. The responses were analysed using the Statistical package of social science (SPSS) statistical analysis computer programme. This software helped to organise the data into tables, charts and graphs and also perform statistical calculations that were pertinent to the data analysis process. The questionnaire was administered on a sample of 400 of which 40% were males and 60% were females. From the whole group, most were between 32 and 42 years of age and 57% of this sample was earning between R5001 and R1000 per month. Most of the respondents were from Africa, with some from South Africa, followed by Europe, America and Asia. A greater number of respondents were actually on holiday with some coming for different purposes like visiting family, friends or doing business. Data shows majority of respondents not encountering any crime related incidences with 19% actually being victims of different types of crime, from xiii harassment to being robbed. Even within these unfortunate incidences, there was some degree of safety for a bigger number of visitors and most felt safe to tour during the day and using public transport while 60% felt unsafe to walk along the streets at night. The perception of safety at night and at place of accommodation varied with age, gender, country of origin and monthly income. Based on the finding from this study the issue of safety and security was a concern to tourists such that it was suggested that: there should be dissemination of information on safety to tourists, development of safety and security policies for tourism, improvement of public transport and participation of police in tourism in order to improve the situation.

Imperfect information on aspects of biodiversity conservation will constrain the extent to which tourists’ preferences for biodiversity conservation are revealed in game reserve (GR) tariffs, reducing the incentive for tourism businesses to invest in biodiversity conservation. Accreditation is an institutional approach to addressing the issue of imperfect information on biodiversity conservation. In this study, Choice Experiments (CE) and the Contingent Valuation Method (CVM) are used to estimate tourist’s willingness-to-pay (WTP) to visit biodiversity conservation accredited terrestrial nature-based tourism (NBT) destinations in selected areas of South Africa (SA). A survey of 97 domestic tourists and 96 foreign tourists was conducted at 16 private and public GR camps in north-eastern KwaZulu-Natal (NEKZN) and Mpumalanga/Limpopo Provinces (MP/LP) during October and November 2004. The survey captured socio-economic data to be used in discriminating between market segments, eighteen hypothetical CE questions and a CVM question. Analyses comparing the preferences of domestic tourists from foreign tourists, tourists visiting NEKZN from tourists visiting MP/LP and tourists visiting private GRs from tourists visiting public GRs were performed. In addition, Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA) was used to identify groups of tourists with similar preferences. Respondents are grouped into three market segments according to their revealed preferences using HCA. Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) was used to discriminate the three groups based on socio-economic characteristics. These groups were named “Conservation Vacationers”, “Incidental Sightseers” and “Big 5 Brigade” based on socioeconomic characteristics unique to each group. The region (NEKZN or MP/LP), level of education and itinerary (independent travellers or part of tour group) were the most powerful in discriminating “Big 5 Brigade” from the other two groups in the first function. The second function primarily discriminates Conservation Vacationers from Incidental Sightseers based on membership to a wildlife society, gender and education. Results of the CE and CVM studies respectively, indicate that, overall, respondents were willing to pay premiums of R114.41 and R87.67 per person per night (all premiums are presented as per person per night, unless otherwise stated) to stay at a GR accredited with having a high standard of biodiversity conservation. Foreign tourists were, on average, willing to pay the highest premium of R136.35 for biodiversity conservation accreditation, while tourists visiting private GRs were, on average, willing to pay the lowest premium of R 96.42. A further three market segments were identified using HCA. The average WTP estimates for biodiversity conservation accreditation for Groups 1(Conservation Vacationer), 2(Incidental Sightseer) and 3(Big 5 Brigade), identified by HCA were R171.41, R66.15 and R14.94, respectively. On average, respondents in all groups, game-viewing quality was most highly valued, followed by the level of congestion. Results of this study may be useful to NBT operators and managers in developing marketing strategies targeting specific market segments. Analysis of the results by market segments indicates that CE may be a more reliable technique than CVM. Further research on the costs and benefits of biodiversity conservation accreditation is necessary to predict the extent to which NBT businesses are likely to adopt biodiversity conservation accreditation. / Thesis (M.Agric.Man.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2007.