Abstract
The trepidation over the effects of crime on tourism has emerged as a key concern globally. Johannesburg, South Africa’s leading city and a major tourist destination has long been perceived both as an unsafe place to visit and a breeding ground for crime. The prevalence of crime in Johannesburg and the associated negative public perceptions of crime impact on tourism and the travel behaviour of visitors. This study aimed to investigate international visitors’ safety and their perceptions of Johannesburg using a selection of three tourism destinations in the city; namely, Vilakazi precinct in Soweto township, Maboneng precinct in the inner city and Sandton City, the new central business district. A questionnaire survey was used to collect data; moreover, purposive sampling was used at the three selected destinations. The findings suggest that international tourists’ safety and security perceptions improved during and after their visit and they felt that Johannesburg is a relatively safe destination to visit. It was also observed that perceptions of safety and security are influenced by and vary across socio-demographic variables such as age, gender, nationality, awareness, travel party type and travel experience...
M.Sc. (Geography)