Abstract
Rural tourism has been recognized as a policy focus in South Africa for at least the past 25 years. Implementation of policy support, however, has lagged with the result of only limited progress of many rural tourism destinations. Changes in consumer travel preferences linked to COVID-19 potentially boost prospects for rural tourism. The aim is to analyse the challenges of maximising opportunities for rural tourism development in South Africa in the COVID-19 environment. The research examines the business challenges that face rural firms in one economically lagging rural area of Limpopo province, namely the Greater Giyani Local Municipality. This economically distressed municipality would be classed as an 'in-between' rural spaces or as 'non-tourism place'. Based on 25 detailed qualitative interviews it is revealed the major challenges facing the growth of rural tourism surround the shortcomings of local government. Tourism business activities – existing, planned and future – are constrained by the infrastructural deficiencies which are experienced by businesses. The failure of local government to address the improvement and basic maintenance of roads, local water supplies or provide street lighting and signage are fundamental issues of concern for stimulating rural tourism in this area.