Analysis of the Tourism in Cape Town - Case Study Example

Tourism can be simply defined as travelling that is meant for pleasure (Mohapi & Merwe 2007). However, research has shown that this industry is mainly dominated by the rich and opulent where in most cases cultural values of the host nations are given less prominence. Thus, according to Tribe (2008), the goal of critical theory in tourism is critical emancipation where all stakeholders are given the opportunity to benefit from the tourism industry. Against this background, I was inspired by different factors to visit Africa which is often seen as primitive though it has a lot of natural tourist attractions. This essay will start by reflecting on the economy of the tourist destination, mode of transport and accommodation, natural resources as well as social and cultural factors that characterise the place I intend to visit in the near future. Located at the southern tip of the African continent is the majestic Mother City which offers a variety of attractive features to the fun lovers from across the whole world. Cape Town is the name and this city is located in South Africa and is the gateway to one of the most attractive continent in terms of the natural tourist attractions dotted around it. I am going to outline some of the factors that affect tourism in this chosen destination which lies in the southern region of Africa. In the African continent, South Africa forms the economic powerhouse and the Western Cape region of this country is home to one of the most diverse, dynamic and innovative economies on the continent as a whole (Western Cape Business 2009). This tourist destination is balanced with primary, secondary and tertiary economic activities as well as a skilled workforce that immensely contributes to the growth of this city. The city itself is comprised of world-class infrastructure, abundant natural resources and ready access to global markets which makes it easily accessible to other markets. According to the Western Cape Business (2009), “the Western Cape forms a highly competitive investment destination and exporting platform and has shown growth rates consistently higher than the national average, contributes close to 15% of the country’s GDP and is home to nearly 10% of its population.” The road and rail networks in Cape Town are regarded as one of the finest in the whole of South Africa. During my stay in this majestic city, I would mainly use road and rail as conventional modes of transport since all the resort areas are linked either one or both modes of transport. There is also an international airport which is an advantage since I will just have to take a direct flight to Cape Town. This chosen destination has a competent Information and Communication Technology (ICT) infrastructure. The infrastructure allows easier access to the internet which is used as the fastest and efficient way of conducting business particularly bookings in hotels which would be a convenient form of accommodation I would be using during my visit. Business and tourism in the Western Cape are booming as a result of many factors. According to the information obtained from the Western Cape Business Guide (2009), “the growth rates in the region have consistently outperformed those of the country as a whole and the region attracts 16% of South Africa’s total foreign direct investment.” The region also has vast natural resources that are attractive to both international as well as local tourists who take pride in savouring some of the finest resorts that offer the best environment to the holiday makers. Despite the realities presented by the economic slowdown, 2008 remained a buoyant year for the South African tourism industry (Warby 2009). Indeed, I was actually motivated by various pull factors as well as push factors that are interrelated as going to be illustrated in this section. Basically, this tourist destination is endowed with a lot of natural, attractive features which draw millions of visitors each year. Some of the magnificent tourist attractions found in Cape Town include the beautifully shaped mountain which has a shape which resembles the top of a table hence it derives its name from this. The Table Mountain is unbelievably flat on top and is just conveniently located overlooking the beautiful city. Hundreds of visitors are ferried to the top of the mountain by cable cars every day and these are convenient to visitors who wish to enjoy the beautiful scenery of the surrounding areas in Cape Town as they are saved from the hassle of climbing the mountain on foot. For a reasonable fee, the visitors are treated to various entertainments at the top of the mountain where I also wish to join the fun and enjoy some refreshments. Other natural tourist attractions found in Cape Town include the Botanical gardens at Kirstinborsch. A variety of natural species are found in this area and they are preserved for the purposes of attracting tourists who are nature lovers. On top of this, Cape Town is a place where there are a lot of grapes and the biggest wineries in South Africa according to the information obtained from the official business guide in Cape Town. There are large tracts of grape yards which also form part of the major tourist attractions in the Western Cape. Thousands of visitors go to these areas every year and they also contribute to the revenue generated through tourism activities around the city. The climate of the city makes it a little different from other regions the reason why grapes are favourable in the area. I would like to have a feel of this beautiful environment and this is one of the main reasons that motivated me to decide to visit Cape Town. One of the most attractive tourist attractions in Cape Town is the Robben Island which is located in the Indian Ocean about 12 kilometres from the shores of Cape Town. I have read it in newspapers and different other sources that this Island is historic in that the iconic first black president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela was incarcerated and spent about 18 years there during the apartheid era. I also understand that there is a ferry which carries people there for many trips each day and it is always a hive of activity at this island. The gateway to the Robben Island is conveniently located at the V & A Waterfront which is also one of the best tourist attractions in Cape Town. This is comprised of the state of the art restaurants as well as hotels where the visitors can treat themselves to their favourite dishes served by highly competent staff. Another major attraction is the Cape Point where two oceans meet, Indian and Atlantic. I would like to have first hand information about this area which I just see on the map. Cape Town is home to people from a diverse cultural background which makes it very welcome and enjoyable to mix and mingle with almost any race you can think of. The original people of this region are predominantly coloured but there are also various other races living in the Mother City of South Africa. This city is culturally rich with diverse artefacts coming from various social backgrounds. On top of the enjoyable culture mix in Cape Town, the climate is also very nice given that in summer it would be sunny and no rain. For these reasons, I would also like to go and enjoy the sunny weather in Africa. Above all, I motivated by the opportunity to witness the prestigious FIFA Soccer World which is to take place in South Africa in June 2010. Indeed, this would be the finest chance for me to maximise the positive impacts of this journey since I will benefit immensely from a social and economic point of view. Socially, I will learn a lot of cultural artefacts from an African perspective and economically, I hope I will enjoy my value for money as well as benefit from learning new ideas about how the tourism sector thrives as an independent industry. I also expect to gain first hand information about the tourism industry in response to this prestigious event slated for June 2010. The Soccer World Cup is going to be a very huge world event and is going to be the best opportunity for the tourism sector. However, inspite of the various positive features characterising the intended trip to Cape Town, some of the impacts that are likely to be encountered mainly include the aspect of barriers to communication as a result of language problems. In Western Cape there are mainly three official languages namely Afrikaans, English as well as the indigenous Xhosa. However, the majority of local people are not well educated to such an extent that they struggle to speak in English which is an international language. In order to minimise the negative impact of this barrier to communication, I will try to engage the services of tour guides as much as possible so that I do not miss on any information since there are various tour operators who offer services that are meant to benefit the tourists during their stay in the Mother City. Another impact that is likely to threaten my planned visit is the fact that crime is rampant in some areas in the Western Cape region. Cases of robbery and murder are very rife in most parts of the region and it seems that the police alone are not capable of controlling the situation. Whilst there have not been many reported cases of tourists who were directly attacked, I will make sure that my movement to other dangerous sections of the city are very limited and would only need to see the other side of this magnificent city that is characterised by sprawling slumps. I have read that in these areas there are gangsters who abuse drugs. This often leads to the commission of heinous crimes such as murder and even robbery as they would be looking for money to satisfy their bad habits. In order to minimise the impacts of such kind of threats, I will try to utilise the services provided by tour operators to ensure safety during the stay in the above mentioned destination. Over and above, it can be noted that Cape Town is the pride of South Africa and has full of potential of being an internationally acclaimed destination which is the main reason why I intend to visit the place. This destination is comprised of a lot of attractive features ranging from the natural to human made features. Whilst it is generally accepted that tourism is a booming industry in South Africa, it is also recommendable that aggressive marketing should be done so as to counter the negative publicity often given to the country as a result of the rampant crime rate in some sections of the country which can negatively impact on the industry. I would like to gain first hand information about all these factors that influence tourism in this beautiful city. References Bennett A. & George R. (2004), South African Travel and Tourism Cases, Van Schaik, SA Bennett JA & Strydom JW (2001), Introduction to Marketing, Juta, SA Mohapi D. & Merwe R. (2007), Viva Tourism, Ultra litho (Pty) Ltd, SA Tribe, J., (2008), Tourism: A critical Business Journal of Travel research 2008, 46, 245. Sage. Western Cape Business (2008), A guide to Business and investment in Western Cape, Department of Social Development, Western Cape. Western Cape Business, Retrieved on 05 March 5, 2010, From: http://www.westerncapebusiness.co.za/ World hotel link, Retrieved on 05 March 2010, From: www.whl.co.za Vivian Warby (2009). Accessed on 02 March 5, 2010, from: http://www.southafrica.info/travel/tourism-280109.htm Read More