A dissertation of limited scope submitted to the Faculty of Arts in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Masters of Recreation and Tourism in the Centre for Recreation and Tourism at the University of Zululand, 2007. / Recreation as a profession is new in South Africa. In the past not much concern was given to the provision and utilisation of recreation facilities for the previously disadvantaged communities. Recreation has not been taken as a significant component of life for Blacks because of the apartheid system that existed. In the recent history of South Africa, recreation facilities were mainly made available to the White population areas, with Black areas and being neglected. Recent years have seen the expansion of recreation services throughout the country. Since the 1994 election a new trend for recreation participation has emerged. This has increased the demand for provision of recreation facilities. This trend has caused the authorities, nationally, provincially and locally, to extend facility provision for all the communities and age groups of South Africa. The government, through the Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR), is becoming involved in the development of recreation infrastructure and facilities. The focus of this study is to investigate the provision and utilisation of recreation facilities for youth in Ngwelezane. Every person has a right to recreation facilities as well as a right to participate in them, therefore it was the main aim of this study to find out if these rights were honoured. The research problem was formulated within the framework of demand and supply model. There is a great backlog that exists in the provision of recreation facilities in the previously disadvantaged areas. Thus there is a need to address the imbalances and remaining injustices of the past as far as the provision of recreation facilities, especially in Black townships. Data was collected by means of interviews and questionnaires that were administered to 128 youth of Ngwelezane Township to establish if they have enough recreation facilities and if these facilities are available and accessible. Data analysis was accomplished through using the Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS). The method used for analysing information appeared to be effective because clear outcomes of the finding were achieved. The most important findings were that, there is a relatively low provision and participation in recreation activities among the Black youth in the study area. The latter suggests the existence of a great demand for recreation facilities, with the exception of soccer and netball facilities. It was further discovered that a large percentage of youth would like to be provided with recreation facilities. A greater segment of youth would like to be provided with recreation facilities. If there is shortage of recreation facilities something needs to be done to provide these facilities. It was also discovered that the local municipality should play a major role in the provision of recreation facilities compared to other organizations. This is the big challenge that the local government is facing. Since local municipality is the government that is closest to the people and represents the interests of the residents, it is responsible for fulfilling the developmental role (DLG; 1998). Recreation plays an important role in the lives of individuals, the local community and the nation at large. There is a great responsibility on stakeholders, including all spheres of government, to actively contribute towards raising the levels provision and participation in organised sport and recreation in the country. The government, through the Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR), may be on the right track encouraging the development of recreation infrastructure and facilities, through the programme "Getting the Nation to Play". Therefore, it is clear that recreation facilities need to be provided for youth in the study area, so that they are able to participate in recreation activities. Further that the local government needs to play a leading role to ensure adequate provision of recreation facilities at Ngwelezane Township.

Purpose-built off-road cycling infrastructure represents a relatively new form of tourism and recreation product. Over the last decade, widespread development of these facilities has taken place in the UK, primarily within forest and woodland areas. The justification for developing these sites has largely centred on their ability to generate positive economic benefits for the tourism and leisure economy. In contrast to the focus on growth and investment, relatively little attention has been paid to understanding the extent to which off-road cycling benefits the tourism and leisure economy. Furthermore, even less is known about the visitor dimension. Developing a better understanding of these interrelated aspects forms the basis of this research. This study presents a dedicated method for critically examining the nexus between off-road cycling and the tourism and leisure economy. This relationship was investigated through the lens of the 1 South West Project, which has the purpose of developing the South West into a premier off-road cycling region. The research focuses on Haldon Forest Park located on the outskirts of Exeter, in Devon. The findings from the large scale questionnaire survey (n = 486) reveal that the off-road cycling facilities are valued highly by users and are regarded as an important regional asset for tourism and recreation. Furthermore, the site was found to attract a broad range of off-road cycling visitors, and have a significant interaction with the regional economy. Interviews conducted with off-road cyclists also identified an emotional connection between off-road cycling and the forest environment. Respondents also emphasised the importance of the informal and social aspects of the activity. The approach taken by this study has enabled the intersection between visitor expenditure and consumer behaviour at purpose-built off-road cycling sites to be explored in detail. This aspect has been largely ignored within the off-road cycling literature, which has failed to look beyond basic economic transactions and acknowledge the presence of visitor sub-groups. Using Cluster Analysis to address these limitations, this study was able to identify behavioural and economic variations among visitors, and from this produce a detailed typology of users at Haldon Forest Park. This information provides important baseline data for the 1 South West Project, and has important practical implications for the future management of the off-road cycling infrastructure and onsite facilities. Furthermore, this study makes a methodological contribution to the literature through its innovative use of Cluster Analysis, as part of a dual approach to examining the economic contribution of off-road cycling.

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 1945. / No Abstract Available

The study explored the leisure styles of peri-urban youth living on the fringe of the city of Durban. Little is known about the leisure patterns of this marginalised segment of the urban population and an aim of this study was to begin to develop a knowledge-base using a holistic or multi-theme approach. Data was collected on the leisure activities, attitudes and the leisure setting of shack youth. Such information would be helpful in understanding the role which leisure plays and could play in the social development of shack youth. The research methodology, comprising qualitative interviewing in phase one (to gather contextual data) and a survey in phase two (to explore leisure patterns quantitatively), complemented the holistic focus by examining actors' leisure experiences and the wider leisure context. To interpret the research findings, socio-psychological models of leisure explained respondents' styles of leisure at the interpersonal level whilst at the macro-spatial level, findings were contextualised in an apartheid city 'framework to show the way the historical context has shaped present leisure patterns. In the context of shack life, leisure was found to be a strategy for survival and an alternative route to the satisfaction of higher order needs. Despite environmental constraints, respondents identified socio-spatial opportunities for leisure activities which they perceived to be freely chosen and enjoyable. The study concluded that leisure is a valuable tool which social policy makers and planners could use to develop the latent potential of young shack dwellers. / Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of Natal, Durban, 1994.

A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Arts in Communication Science at the University of Zululand, 2002. / In this thesis I present the results of a literature study, followed by an empirical surrey, regarding the leisure time activities of Zulu adolescents in rural and semi-rural areas of KwaZuhi-Natal along the northeastern seaboard of South Africa. My findings contextualise the above group's socialisation with regard to leisure time activities, home chores, school homework, school sports activities, communal tribal activities and local community events. I document and explain a variety of neighbourhood activities, including ones played during impromptu-organised neighbourhood get togethers. They include games ranging from the mundane to the innovative. I also analyse the annual Zulu Reed Dance Ceremony as a symbolic female rite of passage to womanhood, and various activities that serve as male rite-of-passage activities to manhood. My major finding is that all forms of social behaviour of Zulu rural adolescents — including their leisure time preferences — are informed by a coherent value-belief system in which religious beliefs play a central integrating role.

M.Ed. / Please refer to full text to view abstract

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements for a Masters of Management Sciences: Tourism and Hospitality Management, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2016. / In the hospitality industry, the costs associated with promotions and advertising efforts are greater than those of maintaining relationships with existing customers. However, customer loyalty programmes have been discovered and promoted by different marketing managers and marketing experts in the different industries, as a most prominent and paramount business marketing tool in ensuring customer retention. The purpose of this research study is to assess the effectiveness of a Customer Loyalty Programme as a marketing tool in the Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife (EKZNW) Resorts. This study strategy is quantitative in nature because of its capability to attain a large number of respondents in a short space of time. The target population of this study is the customer loyalty members of EKZNW, in eight different resorts. Descriptive research was found to be relevant and appropriate for this study. A non-probability sampling, with a convenience sampling technique, was adopted for this research study, to recruit members of the EKZNW Rhino Club’s loyalty programme as participants. It was adopted because it allows for quick gathering of data and is also representative of the population. The sample size for data collection was conducted with 376 respondents that are loyalty programme members of EKZNW. A questionnaire was developed as measuring instrument, with the questions designed to be closed-ended. These questionnaires were personally distributed to the respondents in all the selected resorts of EKZNW. The findings of the study indicated that the majority of tourists holding EKZNW loyalty programme membership are happy with being Rhino Club members, however, some are not satisfied with the incentives provided. They recommend that the Rhino Card should be designed to allow them to also use it in other provinces’ game parks. / M

The research took place while the author worked as a volunteer theatre practitioner with the Arts and Culture Group in Wesbank township near Kuils River, Cape Town, South Africa. This organisation was founded in 2002 and was the result of one woman's efforts to keep the children of Wesbank off the streets, by keeping them busy through dance, song and drama. This study investigated the impact of basic theatre training, working towards performance and the performative act itself on the psyche of the drama group participants. More specifically, the study investigated in what ways being involved in a performance can help children and young people in an underprivileged community of Wesbank to develop confidence, a sense of competence, self-reliance, creative thinking, responsibility and the ability to work as an ensemble. The research was to a great extent focused on cross-cultural communication. How could the &quot / Cape Coloured&quot / and Xhosa members of the group overcome cultural barriers and express their cultural uniqueness equally through taking part in multicultural theatre performance.

Thesis (M.Tech : Adventure Tourism Management)--Tshwane University of Technology, 2012. / Investigates the successful utilisation of CRM in various high risk industries, in order to reduce the incidence of fatal and serious accidents, and incidents.

The research took place while the author worked as a volunteer theatre practitioner with the Arts and Culture Group in Wesbank township near Kuils River, Cape Town, South Africa. This organisation was founded in 2002 and was the result of one woman's efforts to keep the children of Wesbank off the streets, by keeping them busy through dance, song and drama. This study investigated the impact of basic theatre training, working towards performance and the performative act itself on the psyche of the drama group participants. More specifically, the study investigated in what ways being involved in a performance can help children and young people in an underprivileged community of Wesbank to develop confidence, a sense of competence, self-reliance, creative thinking, responsibility and the ability to work as an ensemble. The research was to a great extent focused on cross-cultural communication. How could the &quot / Cape Coloured&quot / and Xhosa members of the group overcome cultural barriers and express their cultural uniqueness equally through taking part in multicultural theatre performance.