THRIVE ISSUE 5 DECEMBER 2024 16 Transforming South Africa’s Tourist Guiding By Dr. Vyasha Harilal, Senior Lecturer, STH It is widely known that South Africa’s tourism sector is an important economic contributor. However, what is not often considered is the vital role of tourist guiding as a sub-sector. Thanks to its relatively low barriers to entry, tourist guiding is not only an important tourism component, but also regarded as a key mechanism for upliftment and transformation. “The future is great in terms of guiding, and whoever wants to embark and come into this subsector can come in.” ~ National and Provincial Group of Tourist Guiding Registrars Despite this, 30 years into South Africa’s democratic dispensation, the pace of transformation within the subsector has been slow, particularly in the context of women and the youth. This is concerning, especially in the context of South Africa’s high youth unemployment rate. It is with this in mind that the National Department of Tourism, commissioned the University of Johannesburg, to investigate the level of transformation within the tourist guiding profession in the country. The study was commissioned to have a specific focus on race, gender, and the youth. To meet the objectives of the research, registered tourist guides were encouraged to complete a survey to ensure that their voices were heard. Other contributors included key government and private sector stakeholders. Photo credit: Tourism Update
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjU1NDYx