The impacts of tourism on two communities adjacent to the Kruger National Park, South Africa

Abstract

This paper explores the socioeconomic impacts of tourism associated with the Kruger National Park, South Africa's flagship national park, on the neighbouring villages of Cork and Belfast. Case study research, where the study area was characterised as a social–ecological system, was used to investigate the impacts of Park tourism on these communities. The findings offer a micro-scale, local community perspective of these impacts and indicate that the enclave nature of Park tourism keeps local communities separate from the Park and makes it hard for them to benefit from it. The paper concludes with reflections on this perceived separation, and suggests the need to make the Park boundaries more ‘permeable’ so as to improve relationships with adjacent communities, while also pragmatically managing community expectations.

Keywords:

• community
• social–ecological system
• socioeconomic impacts
• tourism
• Kruger National Park

Acknowledgements

This research was partly funded by scholarships from the Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre, established and supported under the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centre's Program. The authors would like to acknowledge logistical support received from SANParks and staff at Kruger National Park, and the local communities involved in this research for sharing their views.

Notes

¹Durban, South Africa, 8–17 September.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jennifer K Strickland-Munro

PhD Student