Destination Knysna : Towards a sustainable tourism economy in Knysna
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Date
2019-03
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Knysna Municipality, South Africa
Abstract
The tourism industry continues to be one of the fastest growing sectors in the world, a trend that has had an extremely positive socio-economic impact on many developing countries. Indeed, for those countries with a quality tourism offering, the sector has come to represent one of the main sources of income, with economic and employment benefits reaching across a matrix of related industries.
Covering the tip of the African continent, South Africa's diverse landscape, spectacular scenery, temperate climate, cultural diversity, welcoming people, world-class infrastructure, excellent standards of service, and weakened currency have, in the 20 years since the fall of apartheid and sanctions, contributed to establishing the country as a highly desirable tourist destination that offers great value for money for business, leisure, sport, eco, paleo and cultural travellers alike.
At the centre of the world-famous Garden Route, Knysna was a key beneficiary of the tourism sector’s growth locally and the industry is now the lifeblood of Greater Knysna’s economy. The town is an aspirational, enticing and popular holiday destination in the minds of local and international leisure travellers. Due to the seasonal nature of leisure tourism, however, the business cycle of Greater Knysna currently amounts to only 4 months of intense activity and trading each year.
The tourism industry is of great strategic importance to Knysna Municipality as an enabler of economic development and transformation across its wards. In fact it is one of the few sectors in which Knysna benefits from a clear and compelling competitive advantage due to the abundance, diversity and accessibility of its natural assets - sea, mountains, forests, rivers, lakes, nature reserves and wildlife. To ensure that Knysna is well positioned and sufficiently prepared to extract maximum economic benefit from the shifts taking place in the global market, however, a strategically astute tourism destination plan is essential.
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Keywords
South African tourism, South Africa, Knysna, Business sustainability, Sustainability, Economic impact