Sean Jugmohan

Are ‘Albergo Diffuso’ and community-based tourism the answers to community development in South Africa?

ABSTRACT Conventional mass tourism shortcomings have facilitated the origin of alternative forms of tourism such as community-based tourism (CBT). Lately, another form of tourism known as ‘Albergo Diffuso’ (AD) has also been mentioned as a possible strategy to revive depressed specific local contexts, such as townships, villages and small towns. This article’s aim is twofold: first to contextualise the concept of AD in the South African milieu and secondly to investigate the possible relationship and role that CBT and AD could have. In this context, specific characteristics and similarities between CBT and AD are explored. The article’s main contribution concerns the exploration of the AD concept as an alternative form of tourism related to local community development. This is the first time that this concept has been presented in a South African context.

Community-based Tourism Development: A Possible Educational Gap

ABSTRACT The demand for well-trained staff in tourism has increased in the last three decades. This is due to the economic contribution of tourism to national economies and its popularity in generating employment. Many developing countries depend on tourism for socio-economic development. Current literature reveals the existence of a gap in Community-based Tourism (CBT) curriculum and qualifications at degree level. This paper is a conceptual paper compiled using an internet search of keywords related to community-based tourism. It examines the gaps that exist in the CBT capacity building process. This is meant to encourage tourism educators and curriculum developers to seriously consider CBT education at degree level. This paper recommends the introduction of a new qualification in CBT at the degree level in South Africa and elsewhere to fill the gaps in CBT capacity principally because such an offering does not exist based on the literature perused.