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2.2 KEY PLAYERS IN TOURISM POLICY, PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
2.2.2. The host community
The host community can act as a major attraction for tourists. More often than not, it is the cultural manifestations of the community, including craft and art works, as well as less tangible factors such as music, dance and religious festivals that can act as important attractions. According to Swarbrooke (1999:126) the rationale for host community involvement in tourism planning is that it is believed to:
Be in keeping with the concept of democracy,
Give a voice to those who are most affected by tourism,
Make use of local knowledge to make sure that decisions made are well informed,
Reduce potential conflict between tourists and the host community by involving the latter in shaping the way in which tourism develops.
In some cases meeting the members of the community and staying with them is a key motivation for certain types of tourist. However there are a number of dangers that may result from the contact between the tourists and host communities, particularly in terms of erosion of host community values and possible loss of cultural identity. According to Robinson et al (2011:78).the host community can be classified as stakeholders with low power or less influence on decision making, but have high interest in the tourism business and its consequential actions. Nevertheless they will make their concerns obvious and may be able to influence the powerful stakeholders and affect their behaviour if their interest is not considered in a suitable manner or if there is a negative impact on their quality of life.
Some of the difficulties arising from the clash of contesting rights claims are clearly illustrated in the case of the rapidly increasing demands for tourists access to public and private lands in order to pursue outdoor activities like hill climbing, mountaineering, and so on, (Smith & Duffy, 2003:82). The government authorities
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and agencies on the other hand need to protect the rights of tourists and host communities and there is a need for cooperation between all the agencies concerned with tourism policy, planning and development especially where host communities are concerned (Refer to Table 2.1). The Table 2.1 outlines the rights of tourists and authorities responsible for protecting them.
TABLE 2.1: RIGHTS OF TOURISTS AND RESPONSIBLE AUTHORITIES
THE RIGHTS OF TOURISTS AUTHORITIES RESPONSIBLE FOR PROTECTING THESE RIGHTS The right to be safe and secure from
crime, terrorism and disease
The host community
Government agencies, e.g. security services and health authorities The right not to be discriminated
against on the ground of race, sex, or disability
The host community
The tourism industry
Government agencies, e.g immigration departments The right not to be exploited by local
business and individuals
The tourism industry
The host community
Government agencies, e.g. police The right to the fair marketing of
products through honest travel brochures and advertisements
The tourism industry
Government agencies, e.g the advertising regulators
The right to safe, clean physical environment
The host community
The tourism industry
Government agencies. e.g environmental bodies and police departments
The right to free and unrestricted movement that cause no damage to the environment
Government agencies, e.g. security services
Government agencies, e.g security services, welfare.
The host community
The tourism industry The right to meet local people
The right to courteous and competent service
[Source: Swarbrooke (1999)].
According to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation Global Codes of Ethics (Hall & Brown, 2002:172) tourism’s contribution to mutual understanding and respect between peoples and societies; understanding and promotion of the ethical values common to humanity, tourism should be conducted in harmony with destination attributes and traditions, the industry and destination should be
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acquainted with and respect their tourists, for whom public authorities should provide protection; for their part ,visitors should respect the law and have the responsibility to acquaint themselves with destination characteristics before their visit. It is stressed that responsibility of local authorities and the importance of their decisions in bringing that cooperation about, and called for genuine partnership between the local population, political and economic decision makers, local and regional authorities and non-governmental organisations in promoting sustainable development (Council of Europe, 1992: 12). As Such, Table 2.1 outlines the rights of tourists and authorities responsible for protecting the visitors and communities. Tourism policy, planning, development and management in KwaZulu-Natal should largely consider protecting host communities whilst maximising their involvement and benefit in the tourism industry value chain.
In relation to tourism planning and management, if it is acknowledged that communities are heterogeneous, then the importance of different interest groups and vested interests needs to be recognised. The acceptance of the notion of heterogeneous communities brings with it the realisation that the planning and management of tourism is a more complex and yet even more necessary task (Mason & Cheyne, 2000). By the late 1990s there was a groundswell of opinion that communities should be actively involved in planning for tourism (Middleton &
Hawkins, 1998). However, community involvement is not a particularly recent development. In fact, as long ago as the mid-1980s it was argued that as tourism makes use of a community’s resources, then the community should be a key player in the process of planning and managing tourism (Murphy, 1985). In accepting that communities are heterogeneous, Swarbrooke (1999:125) suggests that they could be divided up in terms of:
elites and the rest of the population;
indigenous residents and immigrants;
those involved in tourism and those not involved;
property owners and property renters;
younger people and older people;
employers, employees and self-employed;
those with private cars, those relying on private transport;
affluent and less well-off residents;
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majority communities/ minority communities.
Nevertheless, the actual involvement of community in tourism planning and management will depend on a number of factors. These include: the nature of the political system at a national and local level; the degree of ‘political literacy’ of the local people; the nature of the particular tourism issue; the awareness of the tourism issue in the community; how the tourism issue is perceived by the members of community; the history of involvement (or lack of it) in tourism related issues; and the attitudes and behaviour of sections of the media (Swarbrooke, 1999). Host communities as role-players need to be contextualised to tourism policy planning and management in KwaZulu-Natal.