Regional Tourism in Southern Africa

Transfrontier Conservation Areas Consolidation & Industry Diversification

Structure

Part I Regional TourismPart II Trans Frontier Conservation

Areas

Non RSA perspective

Wouter Schalken

Industry backgroundCommunal tourismGovernmentEnterprises(Protected) area tourism planningProjectsHR

1.Regionalisation of Tourism

o Multi-destination itineraries o Tourism industry in generating markets sources

regional products to reduce costs. o Increasing levels of multi-country ownership of

tour operators and site-specific enterprises.o Transfrontier conservation areas function as

(proposed) tourism hubs.o Regional conservation programmes prescribe

tourism development objectives (compare RETOSA).

o Increased regional mobility of residents.

Regional Tourism

o Visitor Movement

o Market Structureo Industry Characteristicso Enabling Environment

Visitor Movement

o Visitors from the regiono Surplus/Shortfallo Seasonal

Market Structure

Embryonic Marketso low/extremely low visitor numbers o non-existent or poorly resourced tourism

support structures o lack of, or even a negative, destination imageo post conflict states (DRC and Angola)o local districts, provinces, municipal areas and

regions

Market Structure.

Adolescent (growth) marketso growth in tourism arrival numberso growth in number of enterprises and capacities.

o small tourism countries: Mauritius, Seychelleso dependent destinations: Swaziland, Lesothoo new destinations: Madagascar, Malawi,

Tanzania, Zambia

Market Structure..

Mature destinations o long track record of positive tourism

development in arrival numbers o diversified product portfolioo diversified source markets o effective support structures

South Africa, Namibia and Botswana

Market Structure...

RestartZimbabwe holds a unique position in the region as it used to be a well-established, flourishing tourism destination.

Industry Characteristics

o Equal Playerso Up-scaling from a position of

strength (market)o Regional resource access for

national benefitso Employmento Financial movementso Multi-destination travel

controlled for 87% by RSA

Enabling Environment

o MoU <> Agreementso Regulations (employment)o Capacities o Mandate & Controlo Reflection of market situation (visa)

Regionalising Tourism

o Growth Potential (finite attractions)o Stakeholder control (tourism)o Capacities Controlledo Equal players (markets)o Accesso Benefit

o Build on Strength <> Hiding Weaknesso Compete with national policy/strategy

Control

o Psychological Level – perceived experienceo Augmented Level – added valueo Formal Level – destination facilitieso Physical Level – resource base (USP)o Core Level – educate, relax, status

2. TFCA

TFCA

o High Profileo Multi-donoro RSA involvement

o T for Tourism is missingo Level of control

TFCA <> Tourism Market

Inequity in TFCA Linkages

o Mature <> Embryonico Mature <> Dependent

TFCA > Upscaling Challenges

o Local benefitso Industry Controlo Limited diversity/ PAo Different Levels of Developmento Industry value determines the resource

value

TFCA > Upscaling Challenges.

o High-end = My end/Low end = Your endo CBT initiatives to compensate for lack of

local demando Limits of wildlife tourism to create local

tourism demando Limiting national appeal (crafts)

Tourism Value of TFCA

o Clearly defined areao Stakeholderso Internationalo Conservation & Tourism

o Control > elements of regional tourism

FY=xk+1 x ∑(xk + y / (xk)n-1) / 2

Solution

Way Forward

Use TFCA as controlled tourism development initiative?

[1] Market adaptation[2] Market selection[3] Industry diversification[4] Regulatory environment strengthening[5] Mandate clarification

Fanta or Coke?