Tourists view of the factors that gives the Kruger National Park a competitive edge

Abstract

The tourism industry is becoming more competitive by the day; in order to remain competitive, it is of paramount importance that competitive advantage factors be identified by tourism destinations such as national parks. The purpose of this research was to determine the said factors of South Africa’s flagship national park: the Kruger National Park. To achieve this, a survey was conducted at this park in 2013 where 436 questionnaires were administered to overnight visitors at selected rest camps in its southern region. A factor analysis revealed five competitive advantage factors: Wildlife Experiences, Marketing and Branding, Accommodation and Retail, Visitor Management and Suprastructure and Amenities. The Kruger National Park’s management can exploit these results to improve its current position as a competitive tourism destination. The competitive advantage factors that have been identified are distinctive for national parks, thereby contributing towards the body of knowledge on this topic. The competitive advantage factors could lead to an increase in product and service quality offered by the park and enhance the visitor’s experience, therefore leading to increased visitor numbers to the park and higher income to have the park become more self-sufficient.