A strategic planning model for provincial tourism authorities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a strategic tourism-planning model for provincial authorities. In order to achieve this goal, a literature study was firstly necessary to determine the important aspects identified for strategic tourism planning by researchers working in that field. Secondly, the nine provinces were asked to forward their existing provincial strategic tourism plans. Only five of the nine provinces complied with this request. These five provincial strategic plans were compared, to identify those aspects which the provinces perceive as important for the present tourism industry, and to identify the aspects which they incorporate in their strategic plans. This was done in Table 3.2. Before investigating and evaluating the present strategic plans, criteria had to be identified for this purpose. The White Paper on Tourism (1996) identified ten key success factors for provinces to achieve. In Table 3.3 these ten key success factors were applied as criteria to evaluate the five existing provincial strategic tourism plans. From the literature study eleven key strategic elements for provincial tourism were identified. These were discussed in chapter 2. In Table 3.4 the five existing provincial strategic tourism plans were evaluated against the above eleven key strategic elements. It was shown that a tourist's decision and the unique tourism circumstances (attractions) of the provinces' natural resources (including the "Big Five" tourism attractions) are very important to a strategic tourism plan and that it had to be included in the proposed provincial strategic tourism planning model. A questionnaire including the above aspects and elements was compiled. The objective of the questionnaire was to measure the importance which the nine provinces attach to the identified elements. Questionnaires were sent out to the nine provinces, for them to complete and return. A 100% response rate was achieved. The results of the questionnaire were discussed in line with the eleven key strategic elements. From the results the following conclusions can be made: In their strategic plans provincial tourism authorities focussed primarily on marketing. All nine provinces rated safety and security as important and felt that it should be included in a provincial strategic tourism plan. On the other hand, aspects such as staff training, women in tourism, providing for disabled people in tourism, secondary services, health-related issues, provinces' natural resources (biomes), provinces' involvement in new tourism business and globalisation got low ratings. Safety and security and the promotion strategy received the highest average ratings (96%). This study concluded with a number of recommendations, of which the following are the most important: To implement the proposed provincial strategic tourism planning model. To research practical actions that can be implemented to protect tourists against criminal elements while visiting a province. To research how the quality of service can be improved in a province's tourism industry.