Umkhosi weLembe as a potential tourism promotion strategy in KwaDukuza, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa
UMkhosi weLembe is the popular cultural event both in KwaDukuza Local Municipality and the KwaZulu-Natal Province. Despite, there is paucity of literature on the strategies and their effectiveness in promoting and sustaining uMkhosi weLembe. Having identified this literary gap, the present study was aimed at establishing the potential of the uMkhosi weLembe event, which is a cultural and community initiative, for promoting tourism in KwaDukuza. The researcher viewed cultural events as potential strategy for the promotion of tourism to be predicated upon the social exchange theory based on its theoretical perspective and alignment. A mixed methods approach was followed for the collection and analysis of the data. Quantitative data were collected by means of a survey questionnaire and the responses were analysed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS version. 27 software). The software enabled the researcher to run statistical analysis to test the reliability of the survey questionnaire and to generate frequency tables, graphs, and charts to present the data and discuss the findings based on the objectives of the study. Qualitative data were collected by means of interviews using an interview schedule and the data were analysed by means of content analysis. This method enabled the researcher to identify common trends in the responses and the respondents’ perceptions and views regarding the topic under investigation could thus be determined so that valid conclusions could be drawn. The results that emerged from the data analysis process were then interpreted to make meaning of the participants’ views regarding issues related to the chosen topic. The first objective of the study was to establish if there were strategies in place that promote tourism through the UMkhosi weLembe event in KwaDukuza. The study revealed that various strategies had been introduced by means of the uMkhosi weLembe initiative to promote tourism in the study area. However, the community in the study area was unaware of the strategies, which made the potential for their sustainability to remain questionable. The second object of the study was to establish if existing policies effectively guided tourism promotion in KwaDukuza. It was found that various policies guided tourism promotion in the KwaDukuza Local Municipality. Notwithstanding, the study suggests that those who are part of planning, organising, and implementing tourism policies need to conduct regular monitoring and evaluation campaigns or surveys to assess the effectiveness of these policies on the intended audience. The third objective of the study was to examine the factors that might enable the uMkhosi weLembe event to become a viable tourism promotion strategy in KwaDukuza. It is suggested that the KwaDukuza Municipality has great potential for attracting both international and domestic tourists due to its amenities and attractions. It also transpired that safety protocols were observed during the uMkhosi weLembe festivities, particularly as police officers’ visibility and the warm hospitability of the inhabitants of the study area were noted. The fourth objective of the study was to explore the local community’s perceptions of the uMkhosi weLembe event in the KwaDukuza. It was apparent that the local community of KwaDukuza had a positive attitude towards the uMkhosi weLembe event. The study found that the local community and community leaders attended uMkhosi weLembe and that local businesses benefited from the event. It was evident that community leaders participated actively in uMkhosi weLembe planning and management processes on behalf of the community. However, a problem that was identified was that these community leaders did not share their insights and plans with the inhabitants they represented. It was clear that uMkhosi weLembe was perceived by the community as a sacred traditional and cultural event and that it has the potential to become a powerful strategy for tourism promotion in KwaDukuza as it attracts visitors from various areas. Attendees of the uMkhosi weLembe event seemed to be attracted mainly by its cultural appeal as visual displays and live performances evoked a sense of belonging and cultural pride. However, the COVID-19 pandemic had a devastating impact on the event and this limited the thickness of the data that could be generated. The study concluded that the uMkhosi weLembe event has the potential to become a viable strategy for promoting tourism in KwaDukuza. However, when the theoretical underpinning of the study is taken into consideration, the low level of community awareness of the strategies and policies in place to promote uMkhosi weLembe compels the recommendation that community outreach campaigns should be launched to assess the concerns of community members regarding uMkhosi weLembe and to address their recommendations. Clearly, the effectiveness of existing policies should be enhanced as only then will the intended purposes of this cultural initiative be achieved.
Umkhosi weLembe, Tourism promotion strategy, KwaDukuza
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