Abstract
Tourism is a rewarding sector for several countries as it presents opportunities for growth and development. While tourism attractions are predominantly located in either a rural or an urban destination, literature lacks comparative research about experiences in these two contexts. The purpose of this study was to compare tourists’ experiences of visiting a rural or an urban destination in South Africa. Data were conveniently obtained from 401 tourists who visited either one of two rural, or one of two selected urban tourist destinations. This study found significant differences in tourist perceptions for escape and peace of mind. Tourists felt more strongly/positive that they were escaping when visiting a rural tourism destination than when visiting an urban tourism destination. However, the study also revealed that tourists felt more secure and safe and that their privacy was prioritised (peace of mind) at an urban tourism destination than at a rural tourism destination. Tourism destination managers and governments may use the findings of the study to improve the tourist experience and promote a competitive platform for the tourism destination to attract more tourists.
Highlights
Tourism has become a lucrative and fast-growing economic sector in several countries
Current developments show that the number of international tourist arrivals globally increased by 4.6%, which generated export earnings of US$1.5 trillion (United Nations World Tourism Organisation [UNWTO], 2017)
Between the years 1994 and 2014, international tourist arrivals to Africa grew by an average of 6% annually, creating an export revenue of 9% per year (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development [UNCTD], 2017)
Summary
Tourism has become a lucrative and fast-growing economic sector in several countries. Current developments show that the number of international tourist arrivals globally increased by 4.6% (from 2014 to 2015), which generated export earnings of US$1.5 trillion (United Nations World Tourism Organisation [UNWTO], 2017). Sectors such as accommodation, transportation, entertainment and attractions obtained approximately 2.3 trillion dollars in proceeds in 2016 (Statista, 2017). In 2013, 14.3 million international travellers visited the country, an increase from 13.1 million in 2012 and 12.1 million in 2011 (Statistics South Africa [Stats SA], 2017) This injected a GDP value of R103.6 billion into the economy, an increase from R93.5 billion in 2012 (Stats SA, 2017). The total spent by tourists in 2013 was R218.9 billion, an increase of 9.7 % from R199.4 billion in 2012 (Stats SA, 2017)
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