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)
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:unisa/oai:uir.unisa.ac.za:10500/26046 |
| Date | 04 1900 |
| Creators | Chikati, Shybow |
| Contributors | Van Zyl, C., Queiros, D. |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | Unknown |
| Type | Dissertation |
| Format | 1 online resource (xxvi, 242 leaves): illustrations (some color), application/pdf |
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