Local Residents’ Assessment of South Africa as a Domestic Leisure Travel Destination

• Main Authors: Nokulunga C. Dlomo, Ikechukwu O. Ezeuduji
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: AfricaJournals 2020-07-01
• Series: African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure
• Subjects: domestic tourism; local residents’ perception; leisure travel; south africa
• Online Access: https://www.ajhtl.com/uploads/7/1/6/3/7163688/article_22_9_3_335-348.pdf

Market research has realised that identifying tourists’ needs and wants, and making concerted efforts to satisfying them is the hallmark of destination marketing. This study explores locals’ perception of South Africa (SA) as a leisure travel destination, and ways of marketing the destination, using the case of Mtubatuba Local Municipality in KwaZulu-Natal. We used a structured questionnaire to collect data from 400 respondents. Results show that respondents perceive South Africa as a favourable leisure travel destination. Results also show that better promotion of South Africa as a domestic leisure travel destination should be made, mostly through the usage of Technology. Young (18-30 years of age), female, and employed residents, and those with tertiary education, show higher demand for domestic tourism than their counterparts. This study recommends that domestic tourism marketing efforts by South African Tourism should be amplified targeting these demographic groups. Intensive and continuous domestic tourism promotion (using social media and other modern forms of Information and Communication Technology), competitive pricing (through reduced operational costs and bundle pricing), and further improvements on national security are areas that still need national attention. Domestic tourism demand translates into international or foreign demand.