Abstract
This research sought to examine the challenges facing the growth of tourism in the township of Alexandra in Johannesburg, and to propose possible recommendations to address these challenges. It further attempted to investigate the role of tourism as a tool for poverty relief. According to previous studies, Alexandra is one of the poorest urban areas in South Africa, and has a very weak, albeit growing, tourism sector. Research reveals that the township is characterised by high levels of poverty, hunger, unemployment, low income households, poor living conditions, informal and backyard dwellings, poor housing and sanitation, environmental problems, limited access to municipal services, and high crime rates. When South Africa attained democracy in 1994, tourism was identified as a potential tool for economic growth and social development, and is valued for its role in reducing poverty, supporting existing and new Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs), and creating jobs. However, several studies have found that Alexandra is falling behind other townships in terms of tourism growth, for example Soweto has emerged as a well-known destination since 1994, while township tourism has been a more recent phenomenon in Alexandra. Over the years, the government, along with other stakeholders, has implemented various projects in an effort to develop tourism, yet despite some improvements, the township still encounters challenges resulting in an underdeveloped tourism sector. It was thus important to conduct a study on tourism development to understand the obstacles towards tourism growth, as the government identified the tourism potential in Alexandra in 2001. As there is limited published research on township tourism in Alexandra, this research intended to help create an enabling foundation to understand the obstacles to tourism growth in Alexandra. The study engaged in semi-structured interviews with key informants (i.e. government, the private sector, civil society, and Non-Government Organisations) to understand these challenges. The results indicate that a lack of skills, a lack of SMME development, crime and the poor marketing of Alexandra as a tourism brand are a few important constraints. The study also found that Alexandra has potential to be a strong tourism destination, with developments already implemented since 2001, although these developments have been limited. To boost tourism to benefit the community, the provincial government thus needs to increase its intervention in those areas that are hindering tourism growth.
M.A.