Abstract
PurposeThis paper attempts to fill the gap that exists in research regarding visitor motivations at dark heritage sites. The purpose of this paper is to explore the motivations of visitors to the Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum (HPMM) as an iconic dark site in South Africa to identify what motivates visitation and which demographic variables may have an influence on these motivators.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve the goal of this research, 205 participants completed a self-administered questionnaire using a random sampling technique at the HPMM. A statistical analysis through the use of factor analysis revealed seven motivational factors.FindingsNovelty and knowledge seeking, remembrance and curiosity were identified as the three main motives for visiting HPMM. Novelty and knowledge seeking was found to be the main motive that contradicted similar research done in other parts of the globe. Escape and relaxation, which is usually found to be one of the main motivators to heritage sites, was revealed to be one of the least motivators for this study. The results also identified significant relationships between demographic and motivator variables.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study revealed that people visit the HPMM primarily for novelty and knowledge seeking, remembrance and respect for victims and curiosity. From the results, it is clear that visitors are driven to visit the site for different motives and that these motives, although common amongst visitors, differ from person to person subject to demographic differences. This study provides an improved understanding of dark tourism demand, which is essential for the sustainable development and promotion of sites in South Africa and globally commemorating people’s struggle against injustice and for democracy.Social implicationsSouth Africa is a country with a cosmopolitan history; however, the history associated with apartheid has only recently become topic of tourism research. This study provides a basis to better understand the type of tourist visiting these sites of historical sites, thus leading to better provision of services to visit such attractions.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to delve into understanding the motivational typology of tourists to a tourism attraction in South Africa associated with the country’s Apartheid-era heritage. It provides an insight into enhancing the current fragmented understanding of dark tourism demand.
Highlights
Tourism at heritage sites associated with death, atrocities, disasters or human suffering has witnessed growing academic attention for the past two decades (Ivanova and Light, 2017)
The management, planners, public sector administrators and other stakeholders involved in the development of new dark heritage attractions such as Hector Pieterson Memorial and Museum (HPMM) are currently presented with a dearth of information on their unique market profile, which leads to the question: who visits an apartheid museum and why?
Respondents predominantly come from j j VOL. 13 NO. 3 2019 INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CULTURE, TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY RESEARCH PAGE 277 the international community (85 per cent) with lower number of domestic visitors
Summary
Tourism at heritage sites associated with death, atrocities, disasters or human suffering has witnessed growing academic attention for the past two decades (Ivanova and Light, 2017). Dark tourism is known to promote economic and social recovery and rebuilding in places where major disasters have taken place (Xing et al, 2014) It is, important to note that there is a need for empirical research into the ways in which dark sites are consumed, both in terms of tourists’ motivations and experience (Sharpley and Stone, 2009). The HPMM, located in Soweto, South Africa, receives approximately 140 000 visitors per year according to Gule (2014), a number he said could be higher It is, important to understand visitor motivation to ensure that the needs and expectations of visitors are met and to further conceptualize the phenomenon that is dark tourism. The management, planners, public sector administrators and other stakeholders involved in the development of new dark heritage attractions such as HPMM are currently presented with a dearth of information on their unique market profile, which leads to the question: who visits an apartheid museum and why?
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callMore From: International Journal of Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
