Tourism promotion and development among the previously disadvantaged communities in Umkhanyakude Municipality
The study on tourism promotion and development of the previously disadvantaged communities in Umkhanyakude District Municipality was conducted against the background that, the area has got all it takes to be considered a well developed tourist destination. It was surprising to see that the majority of school leavers in the area are loitering around the streets and eventually caught up in drug addiction. In most families, the head and bread winners are women and relatively unemployed. Women and men are also caught up in liquor consumption. Very few or none of these communities in the study area conceive of tourism as salvation industry that would create employment opportunities for them. The study had specific objectives, some of which are: (a) To established the level of tourism understanding and awareness among the Umkhanyakude communities. (b) To investigate the adequacy and provision of the tourism infrastructure in the study area. (c) To find out whether the previously disadvantaged communities in the study area participate in tourism activities. (d) To determine the perceptions of previously disadvantaged communities towards tourism and tourism opportunities in the study area. (e) To ascertain the strategies used by the Umkhanyakude Municipality to encourage local communities to participate in tourism. A number of hypotheses directly related to the objectives of the study were postulated and assessed towards finding answers to the research question, undergoing a series of analyses and interpretation of research data collected. The findings of the study were considered to be constructive, despite shedding substantial negative viewpoints on aspect of tourism understanding and awareness, provision of the tourism infrastructure, participation in tourism activities, availability of tourism business opportunities in the study area as well as the role of Umkhanyakude District Municipality in improving the situation. The study is concluded by recommending the intensive participation of the local Municipalities in providing funds; training and development of the local communities.
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