Are policies and guidelines shaping tourism sustainability in South Africa? Critical Success Factors for tourism sustainability governance in the Drakensberg Region

Abstract

This paper employs the Critical Success Factor Framework to investigate the level to which current tourism business practices reflect the existing responsible tourism policies and regulations in the Drakensberg Mountain Region of South Africa. A survey was carried out among 80 tourism business operators, in conjunction with in-depth interviews with key informants from the local government departments. The findings of the study suggest that, although current policies and regulations amply cover all the important issues related to sustainable mountain route tourism, they are fragmented, left to the discretion of tourism and hospitality operators in the region and have not been sufficiently enforced among these operators. The policies and regulations governing tourism in the region are also not specific enough to guide tourism development in fragile mountain environments. This has left tourism sustainability in destinations within the region at the mercy and creativity of the tourism business operators, resulting in uneven practices. In conclusion, this paper adopts the Critical Success Factors Framework in developing possible steps towards improving the adoption of sustainable tourism in the region.