Tourism implications and challenges in Musina municipality: a case of the Big tree nature reserve and adjacent tourism ventures; Limpopo

Azwindini Isaac Ramaano

doi:10.1108/ramj-02-2021-0015

Abstract

PurposeThis study evaluates tourism implications and challenges around the Big Tree Nature Reserve with its adjacent tourism ventures and entities in Musina Municipality, Limpopo Province, in South Africa.Design/methodology/approachData got compiled by interviews and questionnaires in addition to focus group discussions and physical observation.FindingsThe study revealed many challenges associated with tourism undertakings around the Big Tree Nature Reserve and its nearby tourism entities. The benefits of tourism were not efficiently tapped into by the local communities within and around the study area. The factors contributing to the poor state of tourism running got delineated by the findings of the study. Hence, there was a potential obligation for a turnaround effective tourism strategy to improve tourism enterprises to benefits local communities within the area.Originality/valueMusina Municipality is one of the remote regions in the North of Limpopo Province, in South Africa. It also has impoverished rural communities akin to many rural areas within the continent. Despite the mentioned, it considerably covers a mostly tourism-orientated area within the Vhembe District.

Highlights

Musina, formerly Messina, is a town in the Limpopo province, South Africa
This study argues that by looking at the challenges and implications experienced by the Big Tree Nature Reserve and its adjacent tourism entities, closer augmentations into the significance of advocating for the instigation of valuable changes can be vital
Hope for a 50–50% split representation in a futuristic development. This would cause an improvement of livelihoods in the study area through a much better-needed strategy of tourism development

Summary

Introduction

Formerly Messina, is a town in the Limpopo province, South Africa. It extends around the Limpopo River, 10 miles (16 km) south of Zimbabwe. Musina is the further north town in South Africa. Established in 1904 as Messina, it authoritatively converted into a Town in 1968. Exist some agriculture along with the river ravine and cattle breeding essentially around the environs. The baobab trees feature of the area got assigned as a national exemplar. The town got renamed as Musina in 2002. Population (2001) city, 28,079; municipality 39,309 (Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2004). To this juncture, Musina Municipality boasts of having most of the tourism spots.

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