Maisa Correia Adinolfi

Studies on diaspora and their links to tourism have more recently gained attention in academic literature, and have become a major theme in tourism scholarship. There is a gap, however, in understanding the role that social capital and networks play in constructing diasporic communities and identities, which can ultimately lead to curiosity around people's heritage and spark the desire to travel for heritage tourism and VFR reasons. The Portuguese diaspora in South Africa have roots dating back to the 15th century when European explorers first landed in the Cape. Since then, significant immigration events have occurred where the community has evolved and integrated into South African society at varying levels. There are numerous examples of the Portuguese social and economic footprint in the country but despite its significant presence, it has been for the most part under researched. The 1 st São Jorge Scouts Group is an instructive case study into how Portuguese immigrants in the wake of the wars in their previous homes in Angola and Mozambique, came together to create an identifiably Portuguese social group in the context of the international Scouting movement. This paper focuses on the making of diasporic communities and the particular role of social capital and networks in the construction of Portuguese identity retained by the scouts group, and contributes to the larger discourse on immigrant integration, sense of belonging and their links to tourism. Key interviews revealed fundamental areas of relevance to the diasporic experience, including notions of identity, the role of religious institutions and a developed sense of community and belonging.

This study explored the experiences and perceptions of transformation within the tourism value chain in the South African context. Through a series of focus group discussions (FGDs) held with relevant stakeholders and small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), the paper reveals key factors related to promoting and prohibiting the active participation of black-owned SMMEs in the tourism value chain, including opportunities for collaboration with large enterprises; exposure to the industry; policies, procedures and the business practices of large enterprises; and government-related matters. The paper concludes that factors prohibiting the active participation of black-owned SMMEs in the tourism value chain far outweigh those that promote it. It is recommended that, if transformation is to occur in the tourism sector, more attention than in the past needs to be paid to the potential that black-owned SMMEs hold, through securing careful and committed collaboration between all stakeholders in the tourism value chain.

The case shows how rapid tourism growth around Vilakazi Street in Soweto, a historically underdeveloped township with limited infrastructure, leads to special challenges for the community with regards to participating in and benefitting from tourism.

South Africa’s major pull factors in terms of attractions include the typical must see ‘bucket list’ destinations, including Soweto, for example. The famous township has developed as a strong destination, dominating the competition from other key township destinations, with a rich political and cultural history. With Johannesburg being the second most visited city in the Middle East & Africa Region, the potential for further tourism development becomes more pronounced. Primary attractions such as Soweto become key in accessing important markets to achieve growth but for sustainability, product diversification becomes essential in order to increase the geographic spread of the benefits that tourism can bring. In contrast to the successes of tourism development in Soweto, other areas such as Hillbrow are struggling to compete at the same level. The inner city residential neighbourhood of Hillbrow was in its heyday, a popular entertainment magnet of book shops, clubs, restaurants and coffee bars. Several years later and in present day, the area is reputed as crime-ridden, suffering a variety of social ills and generally unfavourable to visit. Crime can be a debilitating factor in the development of tourism, where even the perception of its existence can make it particularly difficult to achieve economic growth. However, it is not all bleak for Hillbrow. The area offers up a melting pot of African cultures, creating opportunity to enable unity, cultural tolerance and understanding and a more diversified product base for the urban rejuvenation efforts of the city of Johannesburg. This paper explores the challenges in developing Hillbrow as a tourist destination in light of existing dominant primary attractions with key stakeholder interviews, including tour operators, local business owners and the Johannesburg tourism authority, in order to understand the challenges faced by such stakeholders and the perception of the potential for further tourism development and planning.

The nexus of fashion and tourism is analyzed in this investigation. This study unpacks the creative event industry in the South African context, making a case for it as an emerging, and potentially powerful contributor for tourism development. Using semi-structured surveys conducted with key role players (models, agents and other related professionals) across fashion events in South Africa, the research uncovers the importance that the fashion industry has on South Africa's tourism economy. Findings show that the creative fashion industry attracts both domestic and international crew participants, who have a high earning power and spend money on shopping and visiting local attractions. Additionally, they tend to stay longer than the traditional tourists, and visit other local destinations after the event. The study concludes that the fashion industry represents a hidden aspect of the South African event industry that must be taken seriously by destination managers in the planning and development of tourism as it has significant implications for marketing, strategy and policy.

Language travel has gone largely unnoticed as a key contributor of youth tourism. The global language
travel market is dominated by the UK and the US, with Canada, Australia, Ireland, Malta, and
New Zealand also recognizing the importance of language travel for tourism. Little attention has
been paid to language travel in research, including in South Africa. This article reviews the organization
and development of the language travel industry in South Africa as an important aspect of the
country’s youth tourism economy. South Africa’s language travel industry is explored in terms of its
global position, development, size, key role players, structure, operation, and significance for the
broader tourism industry. It is shown significant differences exist in the operation and source markets
between inland and coastal language schools.