Tourism

This study sought to unravel the perceptions of Chinotimba residents surrounding the tangible and intangible legacy of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. This mega-event, although hosted by South Africa, was framed as a continental event that would unleash considerable spin-offs, particularly for the neighbouring countries in the Southern African Development Community region. In line with this dominant representation of the event, hereinafter, rhetoric, the Zimbabwean government announced a raft of measures that were aimed at leveraging maximum benefits from the mega-event for the nation at large. Using interpretive methods, this study engaged thirty willing residents of Chinotimba high density suburb in semi-structured interviews to better understand the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In addition, the perceptions of Chinotimba residents were compared with the rhetoric that was produced by the country’s ruling elite and representatives of private tourism businesses. Field evidence ...

This paper explores the manner in which organizations that facilitate volunteering experiences (hereinafter, facilitators) to Zimbabwe frame, package and promote voluntourism. Through an analysis of the facilitators' websites, this study establishes inter alia, the forms, cost and duration of voluntourism experiences including the nature of organizations involved. In doing so, this study shifts attention to an important but oft-neglected aspect of voluntourism in the international tourism literature, that is, facilitators. Much more importantly, the paper documents and critically examines the narratives deployed by facilitators to entice potential volunteers. A common thread that runs through the facilitators' online representations is that voluntourism makes a 'real difference' to poverty-stricken 'others' and to animal welfare. Voluntourism is also presented as a 'win-win' phenomenon to a range of stakeholders including facilitators, volunteers, poor communities and wildlife. However, it was observed that this dominant framing of volunteerism may be challenged by, for example, travel bloggers' narratives and experiences and independent information searches by potential voluntourists. It is on this basis that this paper argues that facilitators need to present accurate, balanced and realistic descriptions as potential voluntourists have several online tools at their disposal to interrogate 'dominant' representations. Furthermore, it is important to realize that any mismatch between facilitators' representations and 'coal-face' experiences of volunteering will lead to post-purchase dissonance, bad 'electronic word of mouth' recommendations and other adverse 'bottom-line' effects. The paper further identifies several other managerial implications and future research priorities.

This study sought to unravel the perceptions of Chinotimba residents surrounding the tangible and intangible legacy of the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup. This mega-event, although hosted by South Africa, was framed as a continental event that would unleash considerable spin-offs, particularly for the neighbouring countries in the Southern African Development Community region. In line with this dominant representation of the event, hereinafter, rhetoric, the Zimbabwean government announced a raft of measures that were aimed at leveraging maximum benefits from the mega-event for the nation at large. Using interpretive methods, this study engaged thirty willing residents of Chinotimba high density suburb in semistructured interviews to better understand the legacy of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. In addition, the perceptions of Chinotimba residents were compared with the rhetoric that was produced by the country's ruling elite and representatives of private tourism businesses. Field evidence suggested that Chinotimba residents could not identify any major tangible or intangible benefits of the World Cup. The majority could only speculate that tourism operators were the major beneficiaries. In stating this, the residents expressed misgivings with regard to the disjuncture between the rhetoric and their livelihoods, which largely remained untouched by the mega-event. A key conclusion of this study is that mega-events are not apolitical processes; rather mega-events are capable of producing both empowerment and disempowerment among local non-host communities. Besides calling for 'coal-face' perspectives of mega-events, this paper urges for research that acknowledges the politicised nature of mega-events.

This paper reports on the findings of an exploratory study on the level of environmental awareness and engagement among Gweru urban lodges. The study‟s data collection instruments were a survey questionnaire, personal observations, follow-up interviews and document analysis. The key finding of the study was that there were low levels of ecoliteracy and environmental awareness and consequently, limited „green actions‟ undertaken by lodge managers. It was also found that not a single tourist lodge had a formal written environmental policy whilst the lodge managers expressed a need for the provision of information and education around green tourism. A conclusion is reached that this study‟s findings are consistent with studies elsewhere that bemoan the limited nature of green actions undertaken by tourism Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs). The study ends with recommendations and an indication of future research priorities.

This paper reports on the findings of an exploratory study on the level of environmental awareness and engagement among Gweru urban lodges. The study‟s data collection instruments were a survey questionnaire, personal observations, follow-up interviews and document analysis. The key finding of the study was that there were low levels of ecoliteracy and environmental awareness and consequently, limited „green actions‟ undertaken by lodge managers. It was also found that not a single tourist lodge had a formal written environmental policy whilst the lodge managers expressed a need for the provision of information and education around green tourism. A conclusion is reached that this study‟s findings are consistent with studies elsewhere that bemoan the limited nature of green actions undertaken by tourism Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs). The study ends with recommendations and an indication of future research priorities.