The development of wine tourism in South Africa

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2017.

ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The research objectives were (1) to undertake a comprehensive search for appropriate literature and review the concepts, theories and case studies related to wine tourism, wine route development, regional economic development and corporate social responsibility; (2) to compile a map to illustrate the distribution of all wine-producing farms in South Africa; (3) to create maps to illustrate the distribution of all wine-producing farms involved in wine tourism activities in South Africa; (4) to conduct a census of wine farms and estates regarding all their tourism-related infrastructure, superstructure and tourism products and experiences to determine the current state of wine tourism development in South Africa; (5) to determine the clustering of tourist-related facilities and number of wine nodes (critical mass) on the country’s wine routes and position each route in terms of its phase in the tourism area life cycle; (6) to investigate the perceptions of visitors to Cape Town on their wine tourism experiences in the Western Cape as well as other South African wine regions; (7) to conduct a case study to deepen insights into the social contribution made by a single wine farm. The research followed a mixed-methods approach comprising two questionnaire surveys and one desktop study. Data were captured, analysed and presented using Survey Monkey, SPSS, Excel and ArcGIS. The study identified three wine routes (Darling, Klein Karoo and Stanford) in the Emerging life cycle phase; ten routes (Bot River, Plettenberg Bay, Hermanus, Swartland, Worcester, Tulbagh, Breedekloof, Wellington, Namaqua West Coast and Constantia) in the lower development phase of Acknowledgement; four routes (Elgin, Durbanville, Paarl and Robertson) in the higher development phase of Prestige; and two routes (Franschhoek and Stellenbosch) in the Maturity life cycle phase. Stellenbosch Wine Routes was identified as the most developed wine route in South Africa with its five sub routes. According to the visitor survey, the majority of the visitors were found to plan a holiday around wine tourism activities and have a tendency to return to previously visited wine regions. The visitors regarded the beautiful and natural landscapes, good wine, restaurants and food as the main attractions of wine regions. The desktop study has revealed that the socio-economic contributions of Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za iv the wine tourism industry in South Africa are praiseworthy with wine route members contributing to and encouraging job creation, social development projects and programmes for their employees and their relatives as well as practicing environment-friendly farming. The wine tourism industry in South Africa contributes to the country’s gross domestic products and assists regional development. The study confirmed that South Africa is a leading wine tourism destination, able to compete with the leading wine countries of the world. Keywords: wine tourism development; global wine routes; tourism life cycle model; social responsibility; environment and wine; wine estate; wine holiday; landscapes and winescapes; environment-friendly production; biodiversity; wine tourism destination

AFRIKAANS OPSOMMING: Wyntoerisme is 'n vorm van spesiale-belang toerisme. Wyntoerisme groei en ontwikkel wêreldwyd en word beskou as 'n betekenisvolle drywer van ekonomiese en sosiale ontwikkeling in landelike gebiede. Suid-Afrika se wyntoerismebedryf het oor die laaste 40 jaar organies en spontaan ontwikkel. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die huidige stand van wyntoerisme in Suid-Afrika te ondersoek. Die navorsingsdoelwitte was (1) ̓n omvattende soektog na geskikte literatuur uit te voer oor die konsepte, teorieë en gevallestudies met betrekking tot wyntoerisme, wynroete ontwikkeling, streeksontwikkeling en sosiale verantwoordelikheid te raadpleeg; (2) om ̓n kaart te maak wat die verspreiding van alle wyn druif produksie in Suid-Afrika illustreer; (3) om kaarte te maak wat die verspreiding van alle wynproduseerende plase wat betrokke is in wyntoerisme aktiwiteite in Suid-Afrika te illustreer; (4) ̓n nasionale sensus uit te voer om die huidige stand van wyntoerisme te bepaal in terme van infrastruktuur, grootskaalse ontwikkeling en toerisme produkte en ervarings op elke wynproduserende plaas; (5) die konsentrasie van die aantal fasiliteite of fokuspunte (kritieke massa) op die land se verskillende wynroetes te bepaal en elke roete te posisioneer volgens sy lewensilkus fase; (6) om die gewaarwordinge van besoekers aan Kaapstad met betrekking tot hul wyntoerisme-ervaring in die Wes-Kaap, sowel as ander Suid-Afrikaanse wynstreke, te bepaal; (7) om 'n geskikte gevallestudie te doen om sodoende die analise met betrekking tot die sosiale bydrae van een wynplaas te verdiep. Die navorsing het ̓n gemengde-metodesbenadering gevolg bestaande uit twee vraelys opnames en een rekenaarstudie. Die inligting is vasgelê, ontleed en aangebied met behulp van Survey Monkey, SPSS, Excel en ArcGIS. Die studie het drie wynroetes (Darling, Klein Karoo en Stanford) geidentifiseer in die Opkomende lewensiklusfase; tien wynroetes (Botrivier, Plettenbergbaai, Hermanus, Swartland, Worcester, Tulbagh, Breedekloof, Wellington, Namaqua Weskus en Constantia) in die laer ontwikkelingsfase, Erkenning; vier wynroetes (Elgin, Durbanville, Paarl en Robertson) in die hoër ontwikkelingsfase, Toonaangewend; en twee wynroetes (Franschhoek en Stellenbosch) in die lewensiklusfase van Volwassenheid. Die Stellenbosch-wynroete met sy vyf subroetes is as die mees ontwikkelde wynroete in Suid-Afrika geïdentifiseer. Volgens die besoeker vraelys het die meerderheid van die besoekers geneig om 'n vakansie rondom wyntoerisme-aktiwiteite te beplan en om terug te keer na wynstreke wat voorheen besoek is. Die besoekers beskou die pragtige en natuurlike landskappe, goeie wyn, restaurante en kos as die belangrikste trekpleisters van die wynstreke. Die Stellenbosch University https://scholar.sun.ac.za vi rekenaarstudie het bewys dat die sosiaal-ekonomiese bydraes van die wyntoerismebedryf in Suid-Afrika was pryserswaardig met die wynroetelede wat tot werkskepping bydra en sosiale ontwikkelingsprojekte en-programme vir hul werknemers en hul families aanmoedig, asook omgewingsvriendelike boerderypraktyke ondersteun. Die wyntoerismebedryf in Suid-Afrika maak `n bydrae tot die bruto binnelandse produk en help met streekontwikkeling. Die studie het bevestig dat Suid-Afrika `n leidende wyntoerisme-bestemming is wat met die voorste wynlande van die wêreld kan meeding.

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