Route Tourism Planning, Local Impacts and Challenges: Stakeholder Perspectives from the Panorama Route, South Africa

Banele Mhlabane; Siyabulela Nyikana; Christian M. Rogerson

doi:10.58683/sp.567

Published : 2023-06-09

Vol. 43 No. 3 (2023)

Route Tourism Planning, Local Impacts and Challenges: Stakeholder Perspectives from the Panorama Route, South Africa

Banele Mhlabane

Siyabulela Nyikana

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4785-5167

Christian M. Rogerson

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1306-8867

DOI: https://doi.org/10.58683/sp.567

Abstract

The growth of applied route tourism initiatives is a worldwide phenomenon. South Africa is a major focus for route tourism planning which is part of broader place-based development initiatives. This paper examines the perceptions of key route tourism stakeholders concerning the planning, local impacts and challenges of the Panorama Route which is located in South Africa’s Mpumalanga province. The findings are analysed from 63 qualitative interviews undertaken in 2022 concerning stakeholder perceptions about the planning, workings and impacts of this major route tourism initiative. Stakeholders include government and private sector formal as well as informal businesses. Differences as well as common themes were observed across these stakeholder groups. On many issues government (both provincial and local) was viewed as the ‘problem’ rather than the provider of solutions. Major criticism was pointed at inadequacies of service provision – especially water and electricity – and the poor state of road maintenance. The uneven geographical impacts of the Panorama Route were highlighted. Stakeholder perception research discloses the complexities of route tourism planning.

Keywords:

route tourism, planning tourism routes, local development impacts, stakeholder perspectives, Panorama route, South Africa

Most read articles by the same author(s)

Logistic Makoni, Christian M. Rogerson , Business tourism in an African city: Evidence from Harare, Zimbabwe , Studia Periegetica: Vol. 43 No. 3 (2023): Tourism & Hospitality Issues in Africa vol. 2
Christian M. Rogerson, Jayne M. Rogerson , Hotel histories of apartheid South Africa: the emergence and expansion of the Southern Sun Hotel Group c. 1960–1983 , Studia Periegetica: Vol. 39 No. 3 (2022)
Keagan J.E. Collins, Christian M. Rogerson, Jayne Rogerson, The Evolution of the Craft Beer Industry in the Global South: The Experience of South Africa , Studia Periegetica: Vol. 44 No. 4 (2023)
Siphathisiwe Caroline Mzobe, Logistic Makoni , Siyabulela Nyikana , Unlocking the potential of domestic tourism in uncertain times: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic in South Africa , Studia Periegetica: Vol. 38 No. 2 (2022)
Ngoni C. Shereni, Christian M. Rogerson, Sustainability Practices in the Hospitality Sector of Zimbabwe: a Spatial View , Studia Periegetica: Vol. 43 No. 3 (2023): Tourism & Hospitality Issues in Africa vol. 2
Christian M. Rogerson, Jayne M. Rogerson, The first round impacts of COVID-19 for rural tourism in South Africa , Studia Periegetica: Vol. 37 No. 1 (2022)

Details

References

Statistics

Authors

Download files

manuscript

Citation rules

Mhlabane, B., Nyikana, S., & Rogerson, C. M. (2023). Route Tourism Planning, Local Impacts and Challenges: Stakeholder Perspectives from the Panorama Route, South Africa. Studia Periegetica, 43(3), 129–148. https://doi.org/10.58683/sp.567

Altmetric indicators

Cited by / Share

Licence

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

References

Anuar, M.A.K., & Marzuki, A. (2022). Critical elements in determining tourism routes: A systematic literature review. Geografie, 127(4), 319–340. https://doi.org/10.37040/geografie.2022.010 DOI: https://doi.org/10.37040/geografie.2022.010

Butler, G., & Rogerson, C.M. (2016). Inclusive local tourism development in South Africa: Evidence from Dullstroom. Local Economy, 31(1/2), 264–281. https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094215623732 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094215623732

Denstadli, J.M., & Jacobsen, J.K.S. (2011). The long and winding road: Perceived quality of scenic tourism routes. Tourism Management, 32(4), 780–789. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.06.014 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2010.06.014

Donaldson, R. (2018). Small town tourism in South Africa. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68088-0 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-68088-0

Donaldson, R. (2021). Small town tourism in South Africa revisited. In C.M. Rogerson, & J.M. Rogerson (Eds.), Urban tourism in the global South: South African perspectives (pp. 193–211). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71547-2_9 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-71547-2_9

Ferreira, S.L. (2020). Wine tourism development: Life cycles of wine routes, wine resorts and lifestyles in the Cape Winelands. In J.M. Rogerson & G. Visser (Eds.), New directions in South African tourism geographies (pp. 203–226). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29377-2_12 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29377-2_12

Giddy, J.K., Rogerson, C.M., & Rogerson, J.M. (2022). Rural tourism firms in the COVID-19 environment: South African challenges. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites, 41(2), 343–353. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.41202-836 DOI: https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.41202-836

Greffe, X. (1994). Is rural tourism a lever for economic and social development? Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 2, 23–40. https://doi.org/10.1080/09669589409510681 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/09669589409510681

Kokt, D., & Hattingh, J. (2019). Local economic development, rural tourism and communities: Southern African perspectives. In D. Gursoy, & R. Nunkoo (Eds.), The Routledge Handbook of tourism impacts: Theoretical and applied perspectives (pp. 121–132). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781351025102-10

Lourens, M. (2007). Route tourism: A roadmap for successful destinations and local economic development. Development Southern Africa, 24(3), 475–490. https://doi.org/10.1080/03768350701445574 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03768350701445574

MacLeod, N. (2017). The role of trails in the creation of tourism space. Journal of Heritage Tourism, 12(5), 423–430. https://doi.org/10.1080/1743873X.2016.1242590 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/1743873X.2016.1242590

McLaren, L., & Heath, E. (2013). Towards a framework for identifying and engaging rural tourism route stakeholders in southern Africa. Africanus, 43(1), 18–32. DOI: https://doi.org/10.25159/0304-615X/5063

Meyer, D. (2004). Tourism routes and gateways: Key issues for the development of tourism routes and gateways and their potential for pro-poor tourism. Overseas Development Institute.

Mhlabane, B. (2023). Tourism stakeholder perceptions of the impact of a tourism route. Masters (Tourism & Hospitality) dissertation, University of Johannesburg.

Moulin, C. ,&. Boniface, P. (2001). Routeing heritage for tourism: Making heritage and cultural tourism networks for socio-economic development. International Journal of Heritage Studies, 7(3), 237–248. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527250120079411 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13527250120079411

Mutana, S., & Mukwada, G. (2020). Can mountain route tourism work for the poor?: Exploring worldviews from Maluti route in the Drakensberg region of South Africa. Tourism and Hospitality Research, 20(2), 198–209. https://doi.org/10.1177/1467358418791312 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1467358419841100

Nel, E., & Rogerson, C.M. (2016). The contested trajectory of applied local economic development in South Africa. Local Economy, 31(1–2), 109–123. https://doi.org/10.1177/026909421562372 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/0269094215623729

Olsen, M. (2003). Tourism themed routes: A Queensland perspective. Journal of Vacation Marketing, 9, 331–341. https://doi.org/10.1177/135676670300900403 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/135676670300900403

Pedrosa, A., Martins, F., & Breda, Z. (2022). Tourism routes: A scoping review. European Journal of Tourism Research, 32, 3216. https://doi.org/10.54055/ejtr.v32i.2575 DOI: https://doi.org/10.54055/ejtr.v32i.2575

Pike, A., Rodriguez-Pose, A., & Tomaney, J. (Eds.) (2015). Local and regional development, 4 Vols. Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315767673

Rogerson, C.M. (2004). Tourism and uneven local economic development: The experience of route tourism in South Africa. In C.M. Rogerson, & G. Visser (Eds.), Tourism and development issues in contemporary South Africa (pp. 399–419). Africa Institute of South Africa.

Rogerson, C.M. (2007). Tourism routes as vehicles for local economic development in South Africa: The example of the Magaliesberg Meander. Urban Forum, 18(2), 49–68. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12132-007-9006-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12132-007-9006-5

Rogerson, C.M. (2009). Local economic development and tourism planning in Africa: Evidence from route tourism in South Africa. In P. Hottola (Ed.), Tourism strategies and local responses in southern Africa (pp. 27–40). CABI. https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845935085.0027 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1079/9781845935085.0027

Rogerson, C.M. (2014). Reframing place-based economic development in South Africa: the example of local economic development. Bulletin of Geography: Socio-Economic Series, 24, 203–218. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bog-2014-0023

Rogerson, C.M., & Rogerson, J.M. (2014). Agritourism and local economic development in South Africa. Bulletin of Geography: Socio-Economic Series, 26, 93–106. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/bog-2014-0047

Rogerson, C.M., & Rogerson, J.M. (2019). Tourism, local economic development and inclusion: Evidence from Overstrand Local Municipality, South Africa. GeoJournal of Tourism and Geosites, 25(2), 293–308. https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.25202-360 DOI: https://doi.org/10.30892/gtg.25202-360

Rogerson, C.M., & Rogerson, J.M. (2021). Municipal assets for tourism and small-town local economic development: Caravan parks in South Africa. In J. Saarinen, & J.M. Rogerson (Eds.), Tourism, change and the Global South, (pp. 205–221). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003091325-16

Rogerson, J.M., & Visser G. (2020). Recent trends in South African tourism geographies. In J.M. Rogerson, & G. Visser (Eds.), New directions in South African tourism geographies (pp. 1–14). Springer International. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29377-2_1 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-29377-2_1

Sixaba, Z., & Rogerson, C.M. (2023). ‘Transformation’ and tourism small firm development in South Africa: Evidence from Eastern Cape province. Studia Periegetica, 41(1). https://doi.org/10.58683/sp.378 DOI: https://doi.org/10.58683/sp.378

Stoffelen, A. (2022). Transfrontier routes and trails: Cooperation and scalar considerations. In D.J. Timothy, & A. Geldman (Eds.), Routledge handbook of borders and tourism (pp. 379–390). Routledge. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003038993-33

Timothy, D.J., & Boyd, S.W. (2015). Tourism and trails: Cultural, ecological and management issues. Channel View. DOI: https://doi.org/10.21832/9781845414795

Vada, S., Dupre, K., & Zhang, Y. (2023). Route tourism: A narrative literature review. Current Issues in Tourism, 26(6), 879–889. https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2022.2151420 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2022.2151420

Van Wyk-Jacobs, L. (2018). Astro-tourism as a catalyst for rural route tourism development. PhD dissertation (Tourism Management), University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.

Venter, M. (2020). Exploring Local Economic Development in South Africa. Juta.

Yachin, J.M. (2020). Behind the scenes of rural tourism: A study of entrepreneurship in micro-firms. Ph.D. dissertation, Mid-Sweden University, Östersund.

Banele Mhlabane

Affiliation:

School of Tourism & Hospitality, University of Johannesburg, South Africa South Africa

Siyabulela Nyikana

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4785-5167

Affiliation:

School of Tourism & Hospitality, University of Johannesburg, South Africa South Africa

Christian M. Rogerson

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1306-8867

Affiliation:

School of Tourism & Hospitality, University of Johannesburg South Africa