A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Arts in
partial fulfilment of the requirements for Master's degree in
Recreation and Tourism, in the Department of Recreation and
Tourism at the University of Zululand, South Africa, 2011. / The South African tourism industry has largely been designated as the playing
grounds for the previously advantaged communities [PACs] where they acquire
many benefits, and not in favour of the previously disadvantaged communities
[PDCs]. Various tourism-related government policies and strategies have been
put in place so as to improve the status and access of the previously
disadvantaged communities into the tourism industry. On the one hand, the
tourism policies and strategies are viewed as reverse discrimination by some
previously advantaged individuals [PAIs], while on the other hand, they are
viewed as an outstanding opportunity and justice for many previously
disadvantaged individuals [PDIs]. This is more specifically when the policy of
skills development, among others, is designed to improve the living status and
employment opportunities of the previously disadvantaged communities
[PDCs].
This research study has the intention of investigation the status of tourism skills
development practices for the previously disadvantaged communities around
Richards Bay รก Townships. The study also sought to establish whether there
are any emerging opportunities of improving the lot of the black people within
the areas where they stay. In other words, this study views the tourism policies
and strategies as critical for establishing a demographic representation in the
tourism industry. Furthermore, the study believes that in order for these policies
and strategies to succeed they must adopt principles of skills development
practice that are acceptable and well-regarded among the previously
disadvantaged communities in the industry.
The main objectives of this study seek to reveal the status of tourism skills
development practices for the previously disadvantaged communities, in the
study area. This goal may be achieved through objective such as: how
stakeholders understand the importance of tourism skills development practices;
respondents' access to the tourism skills development opportunities; how the
Richards Bay tourism authorities facilitate tourism skills development;
respondents' perceptions of the implementation of the tourism skills
development policies and practices; and establishing whether there are any
tourism skills development practice-benefits for the PDCs in the study area.
The methodology of this study deals with the selection of the sample, instrument
for data collection in 3 Richard Bay Townships and the analysis and
interpretation of data. The form of research approach that was used in this
research was the survey method. The face-to-face interviews were used where
questionnaires were used to collect data from a sample of stakeholders in
Townships. The sample size selected was 132 respondents which are not
necessarily representatives of the entire population of Richards Bay and
Townships. The sample size was categorised into the following stakeholders:
tourism officials [15], service providers [20], and local community [97]. The
sampling technique selected was the stratified random sampling techniques.
In conclusion the study established that, on the whole, the respondents fully
understood the meaning and importance of tourism skills development practices.
The respondents also felt that the skills development opportunities were
inaccessibility in the study area. The findings also indicated that the
respondents felt that the provision of tourism skills development practices and
policies in the area were not adequate. The respondents were seen to perceive
the implementation of the tourism skills development policies and practices as
not up to the required standard. Finally, the respondents felt that the tourism
skills development practice-benefits were not adequate in the study area.
The research study concludes by offering recommendations, which proposed
that all the authorities ranging from tourism, labour, education and municipality
must investment significantly in skills training and development practices.
Finally, the community must be encouraged to learn more about the benefits of
tourism.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:uzulu/oai:uzspace.unizulu.ac.za:10530/1125 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Cembi, Phumza Happiness |
| Contributors | Magi, L.M., Nzama, A.T. |
| Publisher | University of Zululand |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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