This study critically examines the role of visitor use information in park management planning. Few park planning documents utilise visitor use information. This is thought to result from two problems. Firstly, visitor use studies have been plagued with methodological problems such as unclear objectives, lack of rigour in the survey design and lack of synthesis of information needs. These have resulted in data which are unreliable and at times have no direct implication for management planning. The second problem arises from the lack of understanding of the role visitor use information may play in the planning process. A case study, the Centennial Park User Survey, was undertaken to demonstrate how the inadequacies of existing visitor use studies could be overcome and to provide a base for future planning of Centennial Park. The survey data have assisted Management both in day-to-day decision making and future management planning relating to control of forthcoming events, responding to public comment, traffic management, facility provision, staff changeover, park staff work programmes and rosters, allocation of financial and staff resources, promotion of the Park, provision of interpretative material and re-allocation of users. By comparing the shortcomings of previous studies with the experience of the case study, specific implications for the collection and use of visitor use information in park management planning have been identified.

The visitor information centre (VIC) play a valuable role in the distribution of tourism-related information in most areas in South Africa that are frequented by tourists. They also provide a contact point for human interaction where trust can be built between the VIC staff and visitor, thereby making the destination a more worthwhile and valued experience. The main role of the VIC is to provide information in the form of knowledge also referred to as value-added information. Today, the VIC, as intermediary, could be left behind as the Internet (of which social media is part) has become a powerful source of information for tourists and marketing tool for hotels and tourist attractions without them having to spend millions of Rands on alternative marketing strategies. This study sought to establish whether VICs still have a role to play in the South African tourist industry with the increasing presence of social media. A mixed method research methodology was applied, combining both qualitative and quantitative techniques. In-depth interviews were conducted with the staff and managers of selected visitor information centres in Cape Town and Johannesburg, respectively. The interviews were transcribed and the findings are presented in Chapter 5. Questionnaires was distributed, online, to a sample of 200 visitors, using Qualtrics. Overall, the aim of the study is to furnish information about the value of VICs in the tourism industry, including the role played by demographics in respect of social media usage, in order to help improve the functioning of VICs as a knowledge base that adds value to the process of making South Africa one of the top 20 tourism destinations, globally, by 2020. / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Tourism Management / MCom / Unrestricted

<p> It has been argued for some time that tabular representations of formal specifications can help in writing them, in understanding them, and in checking them. Recently it has been suggested that tabular representations also help in breaking down large verification and refinement conditions into a number of smaller ones.</p> <p> The article [32] developed the theory, but the real proof in terms of an implementation is not provided. This project is about formalizing tables in a theorem prover, Simplify, defining theorems of [32] in terms of functions written in the OCaml programming language, and conducting some case studies in verifying and refining realistic problems.</p> <p> A parser is designed to ease our job of inputting expressions. Pretty-print is also provided: all predicates and tables of the examples in our thesis are automatically generated.</p> <p> Our first example is a control system, a luxury sedan car seat. This example gives us an overall impression on how to prove correctness from tabular specification. The second example specifies a visitor information system. The design features of this example involve modeling properties and operations on sets, relations and functions by building self-defined axioms. The third example illustrates another control system, an elevator. Theorems of algorithmic refinements, stepwise data refinements, and the combination of algorithmic abstraction and data abstraction are applied correspondingly to different operations.</p> / Thesis / Master of Science (MSc)

Abstracts in English, Zulu and Afrikaans / Globally, Visitor Information Centres are increasingly recognised touchpoints contributing to the success of tourism destinations. In Gauteng, South Africa, their numbers continue to decline. The service level of these remaining VICs differ across and fall below expectation. Furthermore, most models of operation are obsolete, with these centres having minimal exposure to best practices. Limited research focuses on the supply side, namely the staffing and management of centres. The study focuses on Gauteng VICs and the best practices that could improve future effectiveness. An exploratory design was followed which commenced with a concise review of best practice literature, global case studies and examples on the operation of effective VICs. An empirical study then reported on the opinions of 25 VIC staff and eight managers from eight Gauteng VICs regarding the current situation and future needs. A two-tiered approach was used to gather data via two custom-designed surveys with Gauteng VIC staff and managers respectively. A snowball sample of 25 staff members and a purposive sample of eight key informants were obtained. Data were analysed quantitatively using SPSS and qualitatively using thematic content analysis; and presented in three parts. The literature, the findings and the researcher’s recommendations culminate in a best practice framework for Gauteng VICs. The framework advocates for an integration of traditional and new media services and platforms in the dissemination of tourism information based on the funding available to a particular VIC. It is envisaged that if managers implement the best practice framework, it could avert further decline in the number of VICs. Moreover, it could improve their effectiveness in meeting the needs of the technologically-savvy and the traditional visitor, thereby ushering the Gauteng VICs into the 21st century. / Emhlabeni jikelele, izikhungo zolwazi zabavakashi (VICs) ziya ngokuya ziqashelwa njengamaphuzu okuxhumana abamba iqhaza ekuphumeleleni kwezindawo zezokuvakasha. EGauteng, eNingizimu Afrika inani labo, liyaqhubeka ngokwehla. Amazinga okusebenza kwalokho kwama-VIC asele ahluka ezindaweni zonkana futhi awela ngezansi kokulindelekile. Ngaphezu kwalokho, izinhlobo eziningi zezifanekiso zomsebenzi azisetshenziswa, nalezo zikhungo nokuba nokubanakaliswa okuncane nemikhuba ephambili. Ucwaningo olulinganiselwe lugxile ohlangothini lokunikezela, okuyizikhungo zabasebenzi nokuphathwa. Lolu cwaningo lugxile kuma-VIC aseGauteng kanye nemikhuba ephambili engase ithuthukise ukusebenza ngokuzayo. Umklamo oyisibonelo walandelwa okuyinto eyaqala ngokubuyekeza okufingqiwe okuhamba phambili kwezincwadi, izifundo zomhlaba nezibonelo zokusebenza ngempumelelo kwama-VIC. Ucwaningo lomdlandla lwabika ngemibono yamalungu abasebenzi abangama -25 beVIC nabaphathi abayisishiyagalombili abavela kuma-VIC ayisishiyagalombili aseGauteng mayelana nesimo samanje kanye nezidingo esikhathini esizayo. Izindlela ezimbili zokuhlaziya zasetshenziswa ukuqoqa imininingwane ngokusebenzisa izinhlolovo ezimbili ezenziwe ngokwezifiso nabasebenzi be-VIC eGauteng nabaphathi ngokulandelana Isampula yokudluliselwa (snowball sampling) kwamalungu abasebenzi abangama-25 kanye nesampula yokwahlulela ekhethayo (purposive sampling) yabafundisi abamqoka abayisishiyagalombili yatholakala. Imininingwane yahlaziywa ngokufanelekile kusetshenziswa iSPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) futhi ngokufanelekile kusetshenziswa ukuhlaziywa kwezindikimba okuqukethwe futhi yethulwa izingxenye ezintathu. Imibhalo, okutholakele kanye neziphakamiso zomcwaningi zifinyelele emkhubeni ophezulu wohlaka lwama-VIC aseGauteng. Uhlaka lummela ukuhlanganiswa kwendabuko futhi ukusebenzisa kwezokwazisa ngezinkundla ekusabalalisweni kolwazi lwezokuvakasha kusekelwe ngokuxhaswa ngezimali okutholakala ku-VIC ethile. Kucatshangwa ukuthi uma abaphathi beqalisa umkhuba ophambili wohlaka, kungase kugweme ukwehla okwengeziwe kwenani lama-VIC. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kungase kuthuthukise ukuphumelela kwabo ekuhlangabezaneni nezidingo zobuchwepheshe zokwenza izinqumo ezinhle kanye nesivakashi sendabuko, kanjalo kubonise ama-VIC ku-21st Century. / Besoekersinligtingsentrums word wêreldwyd toenemend erken as kontakpunte (touchpoints) wat tot die sukses van toerismebestemmings bydra. Die aantal besoekersinligtingsentrums in Gauteng, Suid- Afrika, toon ’n afname. Die diensvlakke van die oorblywende sentrums verskil en voldoen nie aan verwagtinge nie. Die bedryfsmodelle van die meeste van hierdie besoekersinligtingsentrums is ook verouderd en die betrokke sentrums het minimale blootstelling aan beste praktyk. Beperkte navorsing fokus op die aanbodkant, dit wil sê, die personeelvoorsiening en bestuur van besoekersinligtingsentrums. Hierdie studie fokus op besoekersinligtingsentrums in Gauteng en die beste praktyke wat hulle doeltreffendheid in die toekoms kan verbeter. Die navorser het ’n verkenningsontwerp gebruik, beginnende met ’n bondige oorsig van literatuur oor beste praktyk, wêreldwye gevallestudies en voorbeelde van die werkswyse van doeltreffende besoekersinligtingsentrums. Die navorser het daarna in ’n empiriese studie verslag oor die menings van 25 personeellede van besoekersinligtingsentrums en 8 bestuurders van 8 besoekersinligtingsentrums in Gauteng rakende die huidige stand en toekomstige behoeftes van die sentrums gelewer. Die navorser het ’n tweevlakkige benadering gevolg om data in te win deur twee aangemete opnames te gebruik om data van onderskeidelik personeellede en bestuurders van besoekersinligtingsentrums in Gauteng te bekom. ’n Sneeubalsteekproef van 25 personeellede en ’n doelbewuste steekproef van 8 sleutelrespondente is bekom. Data is kwantitatief met behulp van die Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) en kwalitatief deur middel van ’n tematiese inhoudsanalise ontleed en in drie dele aangebied. Die literatuur, die bevindings en die navorser se aanbevelings het op ’n raamwerk van bestek praktyk vir Gautengse besoekersinligtingsentrums uitgeloop. Ingevolge hierdie raamwerk moet tradisionele en nuwe mediadienste en -platforms geïntegreer word na gelang van die befondsing wat tot ’n bepaalde besoekersinligtingsentrum se beskikking is. Daar word voorsien dat indien sentrumbestuurders die bestepraktyk-raamwerk implementeer, dit ’n verdere afname in die aantal besoekersinligtingsentrums kan verhoed. Daarbenewens kan die raamwerk lei tot ’n verbetering in Gautengse besoekersinligtingsentrums se vermoë om in die behoeftes van beide tegnologies bedrewe en tradisionele besoekers te voorsien, en sodoende daartoe bydra dat die sentrums by die 21ste eeu aanpas. / Transport Economics, Logistics and Tourism / M. Com. (Tourism Management)