Papers by Elizabeth du Preez
2.3.3 Considerations when measuring the competitiveness of tourism destinations 2.3.3.1 The natur... more 2.3.3 Considerations when measuring the competitiveness of tourism destinations 2.3.3.1 The nature of tourism destination 2.3.3.2 The unique characteristics of tourism services-vii-2.3.3.3 Competitiveness can be viewed from a macro or micro perspective 2.3.3.4 The distinction between comparative and competitive advantage 2.3.3.5 Competitiveness is more than competitive positioning 2.4 DEFINING TOURISM DESTINATION COMPETITIVENESS 2.4.1 Formulating a definition of destination competitiveness 2.4.2 Concepts and practices related to destination competitiveness 2.4.2.1 Destination management and marketing 2.4.2.2 Benchmarking destination practices against industry leaders 2.4.2.3 Measuring destination performance through appropriate indicators 2.4.2.4 Quality management at the core of competitiveness 2.4.2.5 Sustainability and competitiveness are mutually inclusive 2.4.3 The nature and importance of destination stakeholders 2.4.3.1 The wide spectrum of stakeholders in a destination 2.4.3.2 The importance of stakeholder involvement 2.4.3.3 The role of the DMO in stakeholder coordination 2.5 A NEW APPROACH TO ENHANCE DESTINATION COMPETITIVENESS 2.5.1 Enhancing and measuring tourism destination competitiveness 2.5.2 Establishing the competitive identity of a destination 2.5.3 Linking mega-events to competitive identity and overall destination competitiveness 2.5.4 Mega-events as an element within the models of competitiveness 2.5.4.1 Hassan's Model of Competitiveness for a Sustainable Tourism Industry 2.5.4.2 Heath's House Model 2.5.4.3 Dwyer and Kim's Integrated Model of Destination Competitiveness-viii-2.5.5 Ritchie and Crouch's Conceptual Model of Destination Competitiveness 2.5.5.1 Rationale behind choosing the Ritchie and Crouch model 2.5.5.2 Mega-events as a core attractor 2.5.5.3 Mega-events' link with other destination resources 2.5.5.4 Mega-events do more than creating awareness 2.6 APPARENT CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS TO LEVERAGE MEGA-EVENTS FROM A TOURISM MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE 2.6.1 The identification and nature of critical success factors 2.6.2 Leveraging mega-events from a tourism management perspective 2.7 CONCLUSION CHAPTER 3: THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF MEGA-EVENTS FOR TOURISM DESTINATION COMPETITIVENESS 3.1 INTRODUCTION 3.1.1 The difference between event management and event tourism 3.1.2 Contemporary issues in event tourism studies 3.2 MEGA-EVENTS AS A KEY COMPONENT OF EVENT TOURISM 3.2.1 The appeal of mega-events 3.2.2 Managing the legacies of mega-events 3.3 ADDING AN EVENTS PERSPECTIVE TO THE CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS 3.3.1 Addressing events as a strategic destination priority 3.3.1.1 An industry guided by visionary leadership 3.3.1.2 Mega-events receiving priority through an event tourism strategy 3.3.2 Clarifying the broader stakeholder roles and relationships 3.3.2.1 Identifying the key event stakeholders 3.3.2.2 Finding the links between destination and event stakeholders 3.3.3 Managing the resources of the host destination 3.3.3.1 The importance of a comprehensive resource base analysis 3.3.3.2 Utilising resources to promote destination attractiveness 3.3.3.3 Addressing the issues of quality and service delivery-ix-3.3.3.4 Resource mobilisation through supply chain management. 3.3.4 Ensuring an event marketing strategy that is aligned to the overall destination marketing strategy 3.3.4.1 Reinforcing and enhancing the destination brand and image 3.3.4.2 Opportunities and challenges related to Information and Communication Technology (ICT) 3.3.4.3 Pricing that enhances the destination's value-proposition 3.3.4.4 The importance of product bundling during a mega-event 3.3.4.5 Understanding the broader events tourist market 3.3.5 Concern for and pro-actively addressing environmental issues 3.3.5.1 Mega-events present a wide range of environmental impacts 3.3.5.2 Green practices of the events industry 3.3.5.3 A DMO perspective on environmental accountability of events 3.4 KEY LESSONS FROM PREVIOUS MEGA-EVENTS 3.5 AN ADAPTED SET OF SUCCESS FACTORS TO LEVERAGE MEGA-EVENTS FOR DESTINATION COMPETITIVENESS-COMBINING THE TOURISM AND EVENTS PERSPECTIVES 3.6 CONCLUSION CHAPTER 4: THE CITY OF TSHWANE AS MEGA-EVENT HOST DESTINATION WITHIN A SOUTH AFRICAN CONTEXT 4.1 INTRODUCTION 4.2 SOUTH AFRICA AS A MEGA-EVENT HOST DESTINATION 4.2.1 South Africa as a globally competitive tourism destination 4.2.2 Events as part of South Africa's competitive strategy 4.2.3 South Africa's unofficial events portfolio 4.2.4 Hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ 4.2.4.1 Basic information about the event 4.2.4.2 The tourism industry's perspective of the event 4.2.4.3 Leaving a legacy of greater strategic thinking in terms of events 4.3 THE CITY OF TSHWANE AS A MEGA-EVENT HOST DESTINATION 4.3.1 Background information to the City of Tshwane 4.3.1.1 The size of the City's tourism industry-x-4.3.1.2 Tourism offerings of the City 4.3.1.3 Dealing with the name change from Pretoria to Tshwane 4.3.1.4 Status as host city to the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ 4.3.2 Strategic issues of the tourism industry in the City of Tshwane 4.3.3 The City of Tshwane's tourism strategy development process
Event Management, 2022
Tourism destinations actively pursue hosting a portfolio of events regularly, aiming to establish... more Tourism destinations actively pursue hosting a portfolio of events regularly, aiming to establish themselves as distinct host destinations. All of these events take place in unique contexts, offering diverse experiences to participant groups. Music festivals and concerts have attracted the interest of researchers given the diversity of musical styles and target audiences. However, although being a globally popular musical style, choir events are underrepresented. This article describes participant segments of the World Choir Games held in South Africa; a first for the African continent. A postevent online survey was used to collect data from 384 performers. Psychographic variables were used to segment the groups (perceived event experiences, motivations, level of involvement and attachment, host city perceptions). Exploratory factor analysis identified two involvement, four motivational, and five event experience dimensions. Hierarchical cluster analysis distinguished between three ...
x-3.5.2 Sports participants as consumers 3.5.3 Tourists moving toward responsible consumption 3.5... more x-3.5.2 Sports participants as consumers 3.5.3 Tourists moving toward responsible consumption 3.5.4 Sports participants moving toward responsible consumption 3.6 SUMMARY OF TOURISM AND SPORT STUDIES USING EXISTING ERB THEORIES OR MODELS 3.7 CONCLUSION CHAPTER 4: CONCEPTUAL MODEL AND EXPOSITION OF FACTORS 4.1 INTRODUCTION 4.2 CONCEPTUAL MODEL OF SPECTATORS' ENVIRONMENTAL BEHAVIOUR 4.2.1 Basic explanation of the model 4.2.2 Additional comments on the layout and choice of factors 4.3 EXPLANATION OF THE MODEL AND FORMULATION OF HYPOTHESES 4.3.1 Behavioural aspects to be measured (outcome variables) 4.3.2 The role of ATT 4.3.3 The role of SJN 4.3.4 The role of PBC 4.3.5 The role of the EMS 4.3.6 The influence of BNFT on STI 4.3.7 The role of PEA 4.3.8 The role of MOTV 4.4 CONCLUSION CHAPTER 5: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Development Southern Africa, 2019
Tourism is regarded as a key sector through which to bring about sustainable development in rural... more Tourism is regarded as a key sector through which to bring about sustainable development in rural areas. A suitable product offering should be identified that matches the rural area's unique resources with market demand. The Karoo Rural Node in South Africa's unique landscape coupled with hosting astronomy sites of global importance presents the ideal opportunity to develop Astro Tourism as niche offering. This paper explores the region's state of readiness to harness this potential through describing existing visitors' travel behaviour, experiences and expectations, alongside views from supply side stakeholders. Mixed methodology presents evaluations at the hand of an Importance Performance and a SOAR Analysis depicting the state of readiness. The paper describes how a unique experience such as Astro Tourism can be regarded as viable mechanism to bring about sustainable development in a rural context.
The aim of the study was to identify the most appropriate set of factors and indicators of destin... more The aim of the study was to identify the most appropriate set of factors and indicators of destination competitiveness that are relevant to South Africa as a tourism destination with a view to rating the country's competitiveness. The research was done on the premise that a destination competes with other destinations relevant to a particular source market and that determinant indicators are used as measures of comparison. Qualitative (Delphi and focus groups) and quantitative (adapted AHP) techniques were used. The study identified determinant indicators that influence source markets' perceptions of South Africa and found that the competitiveness of South Africa in relation to its competitors vary across these indicators. A model for measuring the destination competitiveness of a specific destination must show these variations in order to provide policy makers with information that can be converted into actionable strategies. The indicators highlight South Africa's strengths and weaknesses and provide the foundation for prioritizing actions to improve its competitiveness.
Despite the fact that sport has an immense ecological impact, there appears to be a lack of robus... more Despite the fact that sport has an immense ecological impact, there appears to be a lack of robust or comprehensive environmental sustainability research within sport-related literature and the majority of existing research appears to focus on a supply-side (industry effort) perspective. There needs to be an understanding of the consumers of these products as their attitudes and behaviour contribute to the success and effective execution of environmental management initiatives. This conceptual paper explores the factors underlying environmentally responsible behaviour by drawing literature from the study fields of sport, sports tourism, environmental psychology, environmental education and consumer behaviour to place it within an event sports tourism context. Results of the first qualitative phase of a continuing mixed method research process is discussed. A comprehensive list of factors is derived from the literature and tested among academic and industry experts from four study fi...
Development Southern Africa, 2015
Tourism plays a recognised role in the South African economy, even though it is faced with a numb... more Tourism plays a recognised role in the South African economy, even though it is faced with a number of challenges including levels of seasonality, geographic spread and differing levels of travel and tourism culture within population groups. Literature speaks to the role that domestic tourism can play in addressing these challenges. Within the South African context, emerging markets are population groups entering the market in increasing numbers as domestic tourists, especially those previously neglected during the years of segregation through apartheid. The focus of this exploratory study was to identify the constraints that deter the South African emerging black domestic market from visiting national parks, and more specifically the Kruger National Park. A survey of 350 individuals support existing literature, but highlight the importance of time, distance and affordability as constraints to this market. The study identifies areas in which products could be adapted, as well as aspects that could be considered when formulating marketing messages aimed at this market.
Development Southern Africa, 2012
Current Issues in Tourism, 2013
South Africa's hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ came at a time when countries and cities world... more South Africa's hosting of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ came at a time when countries and cities worldwide increasingly compete for this sought-after status. The benefits and challenges of such an event have received significant attention among researchers and practitioners alike. No tourism destination is guaranteed long-term competitiveness by being offered the once-off opportunity to host a major international event. This study aimed to determine whether a mega-event would make a greater or lesser contribution to the long term competitiveness of the host destination given the extent to which it was being addressed at a strategic level. Existing literature on destination competitiveness and mega-events was studied to identify relevant issues that would have to be addressed at this level. Primary and secondary qualitative data was collected from a host city on the eve of the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ to place these issues into perspective. The empirical findings indicate how a mega-event can contribute to the competitiveness of a destination if it forms part of a broader event strategy; if the necessary leadership is in place; and stakeholder roles have been clarified.
Regional competitiveness and domestic tourism is increasingly important for a sustainable tourism... more Regional competitiveness and domestic tourism is increasingly important for a sustainable tourism economy at national level. The development of a competitive provincial index for the South African emerging domestic market is under scrutiny/investigation. Provincial competitiveness is a province’s ability to optimize its attractiveness for domestic tourists by offering quality, innovative and attractive tourism services to gain domestic market share, while ensuring that available resources supporting tourism are used efficiently and in a sustainable way. Competitiveness at provincial level will ultimately result in national competitiveness as issues of supply are addressed (at local level). Factors and indicators relevant to selected regions/provinces/destinations are empirically identified through focus groups and a sample of 1065 emerging tourists in eight provinces of South Africa. A Tourism and Travel Market Indicators Index consisting of nine validated factors are proposed that ...
This study aimed to determine the education and training needs of the sports tourism industry. Mu... more This study aimed to determine the education and training needs of the sports tourism industry. Multi-method research was conducted with South Africa as case study during 2013. Strategic documents of three national authorities, as well as relevant courses of 14 tertiary institutions were analysed. A sample of 24 participants from across the tourism, sport and sport tourism sectors were also interviewed. The research revealed no dedicated sport tourism management degrees, diplomas or certificates and a subsequent gap in the availability of higher level graduates with a combined understanding of both the sectors. Industry stakeholders identified a range of general and specialisation skills required. The importance of internships was highlighted, as well as that of volunteers which holds several challenges within the South African context. The roles of government, the private sector and sports federations are defined.The findings of the study present aspects important for considerations...
Post-war countries face a challenge in the process of re-entering the tourism market for several ... more Post-war countries face a challenge in the process of re-entering the tourism market for several reasons. The damages caused by the violent war environment create the challenges of restoring their image, their economy and of asserting security. As a result, post-war countries have limited monetary resources for development. For this reason, they turn to tourism to help in their development and utilise Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the process to establish the foundations for tourism development. SMEs play an important role in the development process because they provide products and services and create jobs. This study explores the factors related to developing tourism in a post-war context, along with the importance of SMEs in this process. Angola is used as case study of a post-war country that has great potential, yet remains unable to compete effectively as an attractive tourism destination.
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Abstract Despite tourism researchers continually collecting new data on visitors, academic unders... more Abstract Despite tourism researchers continually collecting new data on visitors, academic understanding of the utilisation of this knowledge remains fragmented. Using a sample of 407 national park studies published from 2014 to 2018, this paper applies the systematic quantitative literature review method in a novel way to confirm the main components of visitor research and investigate its potential integration into protected area management activities. Visitor research encapsulates data about visitors’ socio-demographic and psychographic attributes; travel arrangements and pre-visit information; visitor use patterns at the destination; experience outcomes and visitation-related impacts. The results indicate most of the research leads to recommendations for applications in management activities that exhibit a strong visitor interface, such as enhancing the visitor experience, managing visitor use, improving visitor interpretation and communication, and monitoring and evaluating social and environmental conditions. There is an association between different types of research and its management applications. Most studies included recommendations for application in an identifiable management problem, but research evaluating past management decisions or practices were less common. Studies involving embedded researchers were more likely to include practical recommendations, an important result with the apparent decline in embedded research capacity worldwide.
Post-war countries face a challenge in the process of re-entering the tourism market for several ... more Post-war countries face a challenge in the process of re-entering the tourism market for several reasons. The damages caused by the violent war environment create the challenges of restoring their image, their economy and of asserting security. As a result, post-war countries have limited monetary resources for development. For this reason, they turn to tourism to help in their development and utilise Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the process to establish the foundations for tourism development. SMEs play an important role in the development process because they provide products and services and create jobs. This study explores the factors related to developing tourism in a post-war context, along with the importance of SMEs in this process. Angola is used as case study of a post-war country that has great potential, yet remains unable to compete effectively as an attractive tourism destination.
Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management
Abstract Despite tourism researchers continually collecting new data on visitors, academic unders... more Abstract Despite tourism researchers continually collecting new data on visitors, academic understanding of the utilisation of this knowledge remains fragmented. Using a sample of 407 national park studies published from 2014 to 2018, this paper applies the systematic quantitative literature review method in a novel way to confirm the main components of visitor research and investigate its potential integration into protected area management activities. Visitor research encapsulates data about visitors’ socio-demographic and psychographic attributes; travel arrangements and pre-visit information; visitor use patterns at the destination; experience outcomes and visitation-related impacts. The results indicate most of the research leads to recommendations for applications in management activities that exhibit a strong visitor interface, such as enhancing the visitor experience, managing visitor use, improving visitor interpretation and communication, and monitoring and evaluating social and environmental conditions. There is an association between different types of research and its management applications. Most studies included recommendations for application in an identifiable management problem, but research evaluating past management decisions or practices were less common. Studies involving embedded researchers were more likely to include practical recommendations, an important result with the apparent decline in embedded research capacity worldwide.
Tourism Review International
Though regarded as a "soft" adventure activity, the growing popularity of hiking has le... more Though regarded as a "soft" adventure activity, the growing popularity of hiking has led to increased documentation of associated risks and unfortunate incidents. Various systems are being used to facilitate adequate trail management to prevent risks, and information provision through accreditation systems provides a means to manage risk perceptions. However, little research has been done on the influence of accreditation systems on consumers' decision-making and buying behaviour within the adventure tourism context. This study took a quantitative approach to measure the importance of and future intended response towards trail accreditation among a sample of 926 hiking tourists in South Africa. A hypothetical country-wide implementation of a case study accreditation system was presented to respondents. The study indicates safety-related information as one of the key components of an accreditation system. It also demonstrates a link between trustworthy information, accr...
Tourism Review International
Though regarded as a "soft" adventure activity, the growing popularity of hiking has le... more Though regarded as a "soft" adventure activity, the growing popularity of hiking has led to increased documentation of associated risks and unfortunate incidents. Various systems are being used to facilitate adequate trail management to prevent risks, and information provision through accreditation systems provides a means to manage risk perceptions. However, little research has been done on the influence of accreditation systems on consumers' decision-making and buying behaviour within the adventure tourism context. This study took a quantitative approach to measure the importance of and future intended response towards trail accreditation among a sample of 926 hiking tourists in South Africa. A hypothetical country-wide implementation of a case study accreditation system was presented to respondents. The study indicates safety-related information as one of the key components of an accreditation system. It also demonstrates a link between trustworthy information, accr...
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Papers by Elizabeth du Preez