A study of the factors influencing tourism performance in national parks : a comparative study of Kafue and South Luangwa National Parks

Date
2022-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH SUMMARY: The Kafue National Park is the largest of Zambia’s 20 national parks, covering 22,500 km². It is followed in size by South Luangwa National Park, which covers an area of 9,050km². Although Kafue National Park was given its status in 1950 by Zambia’s colonial administration, it was designated a national park together with south Luangwa in 1971 by the new post-colonial administration. Both parks have been recognised as tourist destinations and both fall into Zambia’s ‘Revenue Generation’ National Park category together with Mosi-O-Tunya and Lower Zambezi National Parks. This implies that both are meant to demonstrate their economic viability. National parks are meant to attain both natural resource conservation objectives and those related to recreation and tourism. However, tourism is the main source of revenue to support the viability of national parks and their character as tourist destinations. Tourist arrival data from 1959 to 2017 highlights that the Kafue has received 203, 242 tourists, whilst data from 1964 to 2017 indicate that South Luangwa hosted 688, 509 tourists. Data on revenue generated from the two national parks reveal that Kafue generates less than half of South Luangwa’s earnings. Tourist arrivals and revenue generated are key indicators of the tourism performance of a destination. Therefore, this study investigated the factors that have influenced the differences in the performance of the Kafue and South Luangwa National Park. This study situates itself in the field of studies on Southern African national parks and wildlife tourism. The few studies in this area place the emphasis on how national parks attain different sets of objectives that have developed over the past century or on how they maintain a high quality of attractions, basic infrastructure and services, and a supportive environment for tourism to thrive. Another study looked into their ability to gain an international reputation as a World Heritage Site. This study highlights the national parks’ ability to attract tourists and generate revenue to sustain their viability. The conceptual basis for the study combined destination development theories by Richard Butler in the Tourism Area Life Cycle, with environmental governance theory. Destination development theories associated with tourist demand and subsequent spatial growth of destinations provided a basis for investigating the stages of growth and development of the parks under study. The Environmental Governance Systems Framework by Arild Vatn highlights institutional responses to the state, and the use of natural resources, which are fundamental to the conservation objective of national parks. The dissertation reviewed other studies investigating national parks ‘tourism performance and describes eight (8) factors to study performance: Tourist Infrastructure and Services; Natural Resources; Management and Planning; Gateway Communities; International Recognition and Reputation; Private Sector Cooperation; Geographic Location and Secondary Attractions. The study has also provided a background to wildlife tourism in Zambian national parks. A critical review of the tourism policies and legislation was conducted to draw out the main themes since Zambia’s independence up until 2015 (the date of the most recent policy). Four areas were selected, namely conservation, economic efficiency, re-distributional equity and stakeholder collaboration. The study also reviewed documents, articles and websites with information on, and the history of, Kafue and South Luangwa National Parks. Primary data were collected from a survey among ten tourism accommodation businesses operating from Kafue National Park and 22 tourism accommodation businesses operating from South Luangwa National Park. A total of 969 tourists were also surveyed, with 454 who visited Kafue and 515 who visited South Luangwa National Park. Interviews were also conducted with 28 people with work experience promoting conservation and tourism in the national parks during various periods from 1964 to 2019. This study makes an applied contribution to tourism development, where theory is tested in the contexts of two African national parks- Zambia’s Kafue and South Luangwa National Parks. The analyses and discussion of the findings addressed the three objectives of the study. The first two objectives were focused on qualitative data from all three participants (i.e. Tourists, Tourism Businesses and Key Informants), validated by secondary data from documents and records. In the first, Butler’s (1980) Tourism Area Life Cycle model was applied to the tourist trend data from both national parks. Findings confirmed that Kafue National Park has underperformed as a destination. For the second objective, the analysis examined the responses of tourists and tourism businesses according to eight (8) factors drawn from the literature review, as indicated above. Findings validate the relevance of comparing the performance levels of the two national parks under study. The third analysis was quantitative and examined the conceptual framework of the study. Five (5) hypotheses propositions are analysed and interpreted using the qualitative data analysed in the first two objectives. The five propositions significant for tourism performance in national parks are: State of the Resources, Quality of Infrastructure, Promotion of Tourism Policy, Government Support and the Type of Tourists frequenting the national park. Four of these were significant to South Luangwa, except the Quality of Infrastructure. Kafue National Park had lower ratings in all five factors. Interviews amongst Key Informants brought out a wide variety of responses, as did the open-ended portions of the tourist questionnaire. However, the main factors that have led to the differences in tourism performance of the Kafue and South Luangwa national parks are (in no particular order of importance): 1. The extended periods of funding and support from donor agencies and non-governmental organisations; 2. The type of private sector investors operating from the park 3. The levels of infrastructure development to meet tourist demand; 4. The density of wildlife resources; 5. International recognition and reputation; 6. Tourism cooperation and collaboration among private sector actors; 7. Ease of accessibility, particularly for international tourists; 8. Type of tourists frequenting the park; 9. The socio-economic context of game management area communities; 10. The extent of promotion of tourism policies; 11. Governance and management issues: Those that have hindered the Kafue National Park’s tourism development include the following: a) The national park’s proximity to Lusaka, which is the national centre of the illicit wildlife trade; b) The national park has high investment costs for tourism businesses; c) Human encroachment; d) The deliberate plans to limit tourism development in the national park; e) Inadequate support from government; f) The national park is too big for effective management. Those that have influenced South Luangwa National Park’s better performance and growth include the revolving fund model for management initiated by the 1982 Luangwa Integrated Resource Development Programme (which was later named the South Luangwa Area Management Unit in 1995) and better control of the park with regard to the numbers of wildlife officers and implementation of General Management Plans; 12. Park promotion by influential individuals. The study demonstrates that investigating tourism performance in national parks should take into account: i. The history of the national park to understand its stage of development as a tourist destination; ii. Identifying the similarities in tourism performance in national parks based on cultural values from developing countries; iii. Identifying the role of different actors to tourism development (through the application of Butlers’ Tourism Area Life Cycle) and conservation agendas of National Parks (through Vatn’s Environmental Governance Systems framework); iv. National tourism policy aspirations.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Kafue Nasionale Park is die grootste van Zambie se 20 nasionale parke en beslaan ‘n area van 22 500 km². Dit word gevolg deur South Luangwa Nasionale Park wat ‘n oppervlakte van 9050 km² beslaan. Alhoewel Kafue Nasionale Park in 1950 sy status onder die voormalige Zambiese koloniale administrasie ontvang het, is dit deur die nuwe post-koloniale administrasie saam met South Luangwa in 1971 as nasionale parke aangewys. Beide parke word as toerisme bestemmings erken en val binne Zambie se “Inkomste Genererende” Nasionale Parke kategorie saam met Mosi-O-Tunya en die Lower Zambezi Nasionale Parke. Dit impliseer die verwagting dat beide ekonomiese lewensvatbaarheid behoort te demonstreer. Nasional Parke is veronderstel om beide natuurlike hulpbron-bewarings doelwitte sowel as onspanning- en toersime doelwitte na te streef. Toerisme is egter die hoofbron van inkomste om die lewensvatbaarheid van nasionale parke en hul karakter as toerisme bestemmings te ondersteun. Data oor toeriste aankomste vanaf 1959 tot 2017 wys dat Kafue 203 242 toeriste ontvang het en die data van 1964 tot 2017 vir South Luangwa 688 509 toeriste. Data ten opsigte inkomste wat die twee parke gegenereer het, wys uit dat Kafue minder as die helfte van South Luangwa se inkomste gegenereer het. Die getal toeriste en inkomste gegeneer is sleutel indikatore van die toerisme prestasie van ‘n bestemming. Hierdie studie ondersoek die faktore wat die verskille in die prestasie van Kafue en South Luangwa Nasional Parke beinvloed het. Die studie binne in die konteks van studies oor Suidelike Afrikaanse nasionale parke en safari/natuurlewe toerisme geplaas word. Die beperkte aantal studies vanuit hierdie streek beklemtoon die vermoe: van die nasionale parke om verskillende verskuiwende en toenemende komplekse stel doelwitte wat oor die laaste eeu ontwikkel is, te bereik, naamlik ‘n hoe kwaliteit van besienswaardighede, basiese infrastruktuur en dienste, ‘n ondersteunende omgewing waarin toerisme kan floreer, en die vermoe om internasionale erkenning as ‘n Wereld Natuurerfenisgebied te bekom. Om die rede plaas hierdie studie die klem op die Nasionale Parke se vermoe om toeriste te lok en inkomste te genereer om hulle lewensvatbaarheid te onderhou. Die konseptuele grondslag vir die studie kombineer bestemming ontwikkelingsteorie, Richard Butler se Toerisme Area Lewenssiklus, Plog (1972, 2001) se Psigografiese Persoonlikheidstipes model, met omgewingsregeringsteorie soos deur Vatn (2015) gedemonstreer. Bestemming ontwikkelingsteorie wat geassosieer word met die vraag na toerisme en die daaropvolgende ruimtelike groei in bestemmings verskaf die basis om die fases in die groei en ontwikkeling van die Parke wat bestudeer word, te ondersoek. Die Omgewingsregeerstelselraamwerk (Environmental Governance Systems Framework) van Vatn (2015) belig die institusionele response tot die status en benutting van natuurlike hulpbronne wat fundamenteel is tot die bewaring doelstelling van nasionale parke. Die proefskrif het ‘n oorsig onderneem van ander studies wat die toerisme prestasie in nasionale parke ondersoek het en agt (8) faktore geidentifiseer wat gebruik kan word om Prestasie te bestudeer. Dit is ‘Toerisme Infrastruktuur en Dienste’, ‘Natuurlike Hulpbronne’, ‘Bestuur en Beplanning’, ‘Toegangspoort Gemeenskappe’, ‘Internasionale Erkenning en Reputasie’, ‘Privaat Sektor Samewerking’, en ‘Sekondere Besienswaardighede’. Die agtergrond tot natuurlewe toerisme in Zambie word beskryf waarna ‘n kritiese beoordeling van die toerismebeleide en wetgewing gedoen is om die hooftemas wat sedert Zambie se onafhanklikheid tot 2015 (die datum van die jongste beleid) bevorder is, te identifiseer. Die vier (4) temas is ‘Bewaring’, ‘Ekonomiese Doeltreffendheid’, ‘Herverdelings Billikheid’ en ‘Deelhouer Samewerking. Die navorsing het ook dokumente, artikels en webtuistes met inligting en geskiedenis oor Kafue en South Luangwa Nasionale Parke bestudeer. ‘n Opname om primere data in te samel is gedoen onder 10 toerisme akkommodasie besighede wat in Kafue bedrywig is en 22 toerisme akkommodasie besighede wat in South Luangwa Nasionale Park opereer. ‘n Opname is ook onder ‘n totaal van 969 toeriste gedoen met 454 wat Kafue en 515 wat South Luangwa Nasionale Park besoek het. Onderhoude is met 28 persone wat werksondervinding gedurende verskillende jaar periodes vanaf 1964 to 2019 in die bevordering van bewaring en toerisme in Nasionale Parke het, gevoer. Hierdie studie lewer ‘n toegepaste bydrae waar toerisme ontwikkeling teorie getoets word in die konteks van twee Afrika nasionale parke – Zambie se Kafue en South Luangwa Nasionale Parke. Die ontleding en bespreking het die drie studie doelwitte aangespreek. Die eerste twee doelwitte was gefokus op kwalitatiewe data van al drie deelnemergroepe, gevalideer deur sekondere data afkomstig van dokumente en rekords. Eerstens is Butler se Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) model toegepas op die tendense ten opsigte van toeriste data van beide nasionale parke wat Kafue Nasionale Park se onderprestasie as ‘n bestemming, bevestig het. Die tweede doelwit het die toeriste en die toerisme akkommodasie besighede se response geannaliseer binne die konteks van die agt faktore wat volgens die literatuuroorsig geidentifiseer is as voorvereistes vir positiwe toerisme groei en ontwikkeling. Die bevindinge valideer die relevansie om die prestasievlakke van die twee nasionale parke wat bestudeer word, te vergelyk. Die derde analise was kwantitatief en het die konseptuele raamwerk van die studie toegepas. Die kwalitatiewe data wat in die ondersoek van die eerste twee doelwitte gebruik is, is ook benut om vyf (5) hipotese proposisies te ondersoek en verder te geinterpreteer. Die vyf proposisies is dat die “Status van Hulpbronne’, ‘Kwaliteit van Infrastruktuur’, ‘Bevordering van Toerismebeleid’, ‘Regerings Ondersteuning’ en die ‘Tipe van Toeriste’ wat die nasionale park besoek betekenisvol is vir die prestasie van nasionale parke. Vier (4) hiervan met die uitsondering van ‘Kwaliteit van Infrastruktuur’ was betekenisvol in die geval van South Luangwa. Onderhoude met sleutel informante het ‘n verskeidenheid van insigte opgelewer asook die oop-einde vrae gedeeltes van die toeristevraelys. Die hooffaktore wat tot die verskille in die toerisme prestasie van Kafue en South Luangwa nasionale parke aanleiding gegee het is (in geen orde van voorkeur): 1 Die uitgebreide tydperke van befondsing en ondersteuning van donor agentskappe en NROs. 2 Die tipe privaat sektor belegger wat in die Park geopereer het. 3 Die vlak van infrastruktuur ontwikkeling om in die toerisme aanvraag te voorsien 4 Die digtheid van natuurlewe hulpbronne 5 Internasionale erkenning en reputasie 6 Samewerking tussen die privaat sektor akteurs oor toerisme 7 Die gemak van toegang – in besonder vir internasionale toeriste 8 Die tipe van toeriste wat die park besoek 9 Die sosio-ekonomiese konteks van die GMA gemeenskappe 10 Die mate waartoe toerisme beleide bevorder word 11 Regeer- en bestuurskwessies: Kafue Nasionale Park se toerisme ontwikkeling is deur die volgende benadeel: a) Die Nasionale Park se nabyheid tot Lusaka wat die nasionale sentrum vir die onwettige handel in natuurlewe is b) Die nasionale park het ‘n hoe beleggingskoste vir toerisme besighede c) Menslike indringing d) Die doelbewuste strategie om toerisme ontwikkelings in die nasionale park te beperk e) Onvoldoende regeringsondersteuning f) Die grootte van die Nasionale Park Die kwessies wat South Luangwa Nasionale Park se beter prestasie en groei beinvloed het sluit die wentelfondsbestuursmodel wat deur die LIRDP geinisieer is en beter bestuur van die park met betrekking tot die getal natuurbewaarders en die implementering van die Algemene Bestuursplanne 12 Die bemarking van die park deur invloedryke indiwidue Hierdie studie demonstreer dat om die toerisme prestasie van ‘n nasionale park na behore te ondersoek, behoort die navorsing: 1 Die geskiedenis van die nasionale park te ken om die fase van ontwikkeling as ‘n toerisme bestemming te verstaan 2 Die faktore uit ‘n literatuuroorsig van ander studies wat in die nasionale parke teenwoordig is, te bepaal 3 Die rol van verskillende rolspelers met betrekking tot toerisme ontwikkeling en die bewaringsagenda van nasionale parke te identifiseer 4 Die mate waarin die aspirasies van die nasionale toerisme beleid verwesentlik is, te identifiseer
Description
Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Tourism -- Economic aspects -- Zambia, Wildlife management areas -- Economic aspects -- Zambia, Luangwa National Park (Zambia) -- Economic aspects, Kafue National Park (Zambia) -- Economic aspects, UCTD
Citation