Andrea Saayman

Estimating the Economic Contribution of Visitor Spending in the Kruger National Park to the Regional Economy

Tourism has been labelled the economic driver of the 21st century due to the multiplier effect of tourist spending and the linkage of this industry to almost all other industries. This paper aims to estimate the economic impact of visitor spending in the Kruger National Park. The following objectives are set: (1) to determine the spending pattern of a typical tourist visiting the Kruger National Park, (2) to determine the contribution of tourists visiting the Park to the economy of the region. The methodology used includes both a survey and an input-output analysis. A survey conducted in June 2002 was used to determine the spending pattern of tourists visiting the Park and together with additional secondary data, were used to determine the contribution of visitor spending in the Park to the economy of the region. The results of the survey indicate that tourists spend most of their money on accommodation and transport in the Park. The South African National Parks (SANP) has created an environment that induces spending, but recommendations are made to encourage even more spending by tourists, thereby enhancing the economic benefits of the Park.

Competitive intelligence: construct exploration, validation and equivalence

Purpose – Little empirical research has been conducted on competitive intelligence (CI). This paper aims to contribute to the quantitative strand of the CI literature by exploring and validating the theoretical constructs of the CI process.Design/methodology/approach – Data from 601 questionnaires filled out by South African and Flemish exporters were subjected to exploratory factor analysis and construct equivalence analysis between the sub‐samples.Findings – The results showed that the CI process consists of three constructs, while the context in which CI takes place consists of four constructs. This agrees to some extent with the literature. When verifying the constructs for both cultures it was found that all but one CI context construct can be viewed as equivalent in both groups. Bias analysis identified one item in the questionnaire that was biased. Via regression analysis it was also indicated that the context in which CI takes place influences the CI process to a large extent. The research identif...

Determinants of inbound tourism to South Africa

South Africa has experienced a significant increase in tourist arrivals over the past ten years. The challenge is to sustain this growth and therefore it is important to understand the factors that influence inbound tourism to South Africa. The purpose of this article is to identify the various determinants of inbound tourism to South Africa from different source markets (categorized in continents). Time series quarterly data from 1993 to 2004 is used in the analysis of tourist arrivals. Cointegration analysis in a multivariate framework is used and the authors find that income, relative prices and travel cost are strong determinants of tourist arrivals (as with other destinations). They also find that climate and capacity play significant roles.

Enhancing a competitive intelligence culture in South Africa

Purpose – For competitive intelligence (CI) to evolve into a successful business discipline in a company, a culture of competitiveness should prevail. The extent to which CI is practiced in South Africa and the CI culture that exists in South Africa have remained a mystery until the late 1990s. It is the aim of this paper to assess the development of the CI culture since the late 1990s in South Africa and to make recommendations to enhance this culture. Design/methodology/approach – For the empirical evidence, the results of two previous research projects were used. Questionnaires were used in these projects. The questions covered all areas of the intelligence cycle: planning and focus, collection, analysis, communication, process and structure, awareness and culture and attitudes towards CI. Data of the sample population to perform a sample selection was gathered from three sources, namely Reed Inc., the Kompass Southern African and the membership lists of the respective Export Councils. In both the projects, the respondents had to answer the questions on a five-point Likert scale, where 1 equals either never or disagree and 5 equals always or strongly agree. Findings – The results of observations and research projects show a sustained level of awareness of CI and a CI culture within South African companies since 1999. However, research into the CI practices of South African companies (both descriptive and empirical) and specifically into the CI practices of South African exporters has shown certain areas in which local companies lag behind other countries. In particular, in terms of the extent and depth of education, training and consulting services, South Africa is far behind most developed countries. With better training and education opportunities available, in particular in terms of strategic and competitive analysis and the management of CI, these weak areas of the discipline are sure to improve with time. Research limitations/implications – The research was built around the six key areas that, collectively, from the intelligence model as identified by Calof and Breakspear in 1999, i.e. planning and focus, collection, analysis, communication, process and structure, and organisational awareness and culture. Some of the key findings were that South African companies showed a general lack of appropriate processes and structures for CI; that there was little evidence that systems in companies assist the CI activities; that few companies could claim that CI was embedded in the whole company; little information sharing took place and people in the company in general did not know the focus of the intelligence activity. Originality/value – The paper provides recommendations on ways to enhance and foster a competitive or CI culture in South Africa. Various ways to enhance a competitive or CI culture in countries and companies are proposed including CI awareness and training sessions for industry, company managers recognising the value of CI as a tool to enhance competitiveness and appropriate CI related training programmes.

Analysis of spending patterns of visitors of three World Cup Cricket matches in Potchefstroom, South Africa

Abstract Sport events are big business and countries are competing fiercely to host major events. This is done because of the money that events generate as well as the marketing value of major events. Money generated by sport events are primarily determined by the spending patterns of visitors to an event. The purpose of this article is to analyse the spending patterns of visitors to three World Cup Cricket matches held in Potchefstroom, South Africa. The surveys consisted of 1,000 questionnaires that were completed during the three matches of which 965 were used. Findings of the survey indicated that the different methods of determining the total spent by visitors resulted in different amounts. The contribution of this research lies in the fact that not one method can be singled out as the only method of determining total economic impact. There are too many factors influencing spending patterns, for example, age, income, nationality, number of visitors, to name but a few. These methods do, however, give a good indication of the value and amounts generated by an event.

Domestic tourist spending and economic development: The case of the North West Province

Globally, tourism is the largest and fastest growing industry, outpacing all other industries. In South Africa, tourism is widely regarded as a growth catalyst, able to generate much-needed income and employment opportunities. The market potential of domestic tourism has, however, been downplayed in favour of international tourism. This research argues that tourism – especially domestic tourism – can contribute significantly to regional growth and development in South Africa. A survey was carried out among domestic tourists in the North West Province, one of the poorest provinces in South Africa. This survey was used to draw up a demographic and spending profile of the average domestic tourist in the province, and to determine the possible implications of this spending on different macroeconomic variables in the province.

Shopping Tourism or Tourists Shopping? A Case Study of South Africa's African Tourism Market

Tourism to South Africa has increased consistently over the last 15 years and the country has become one of the most popular tourist destinations, not only in Africa, but also in the world. With 10 million tourists visiting South Africa, tourism has grown to become an important industry, contributing more than 8% to the countrys gross domestic product (GDP); it has even surpassed earnings from gold exports as an important source of foreign exchange. A closer inspection of the arrivals statistics reveals that the majority (75%) of tourists are from Africa. In addition, 75% of all African tourists are from South Africas neighbouring countries. However, most research on tourism to South Africa focuses on intercontinental arrivals. Among the reasons cited for the exclusion of African tourists is that these tourists visit South Africa for reasons other than tourism, such as shopping, business and study. This research addresses this shortcoming by analysing the trends in arrivals and spending by African tourists to South Africa. The paper sheds light on the reasons why African tourists travel to South Africa and shows the important role of South Africa as a wholesaler for Africa. It is postulated that the link between trade and tourism is much stronger for South Africa and its neighbours than is the case for other countries.

Creating a Framework to Determine the Socio-Economic Impact of National Parks in South Africa: A Case Study of the Addo Elephant National Park

National parks in South Africa are seen as major tourism assets, since wildlife is the biggest draw-card for international visitors to the country. Yet little is known of the socio-economic contribution of these parks to their respective local economies. The purpose of this research is to develop a framework for assessing the socio-economic impact of the Addo Elephant National Park in South Africa. The results show that the park has a significant impact in terms of production, income generation and employment in the area. Key results include a proposed framework for assessing the socio-economic impact of national parks in a developing country.

The economic impact of the Comrades Marathon

Purpose – The Comrades Marathon is a world‐renowned ultra marathon that takes place yearly between the cities of Pietermaritzburg and Durban in KwaZulu‐Natal, South Africa. It attracts athletes from around the world, and boasts a participation of more than 14,000. The purpose of this article is to determine the impact that this marathon has on the provincial economy – a manufacturing‐based economy.Design/methodology/approach – Spending data of participants and their accompanying spectators were compiled by means of surveys and participants were split into categories based on their origin. The provincial Social Accounting Matrix is used to quantify the impact of this spending stimulus on production, income and job creation within the province.Findings – The results show that Comrades Marathon contributes significantly to the provincial economy and that more than 600 jobs are dependent on the event.Research limitations/implications – It has a larger impact on the local economy than many similar sport events...

Regional Development and National Parks in South Africa: Lessons Learned

National parks are playing an important role in the South African tourism landscape – especially in their respective regional economies – since most foreign and many domestic tourists visit one or more of the 21 national parks annually. For the purpose of this article, socio-economic impact analyses were conducted at four national parks using similar methodology. These parks differ considerably and the results confirm that a variety of variables play a role in contributing to the magnitude of the socio-economic impact. From these case studies, a number of interesting lessons have been learned, which have implications for managing national parks. In terms of regional development, it is also shown that different parks play different roles in their regional economies.