Linking state-owned nature-based tourism assets for local small enterprise development: Addo Elephant National Park, South Africa

Abstract

Tourism is often discussed as a pathway to local economic development especially in the Global South. Although much discussion surrounds upliftment via job creation and the direct income generated from tourism enterprises, there is increasing focus on the benefits of tourism supply chains for local communities. Existing research demonstrates the potential role of tourism supply chains to uplift local businesses, particularly small medium and micro-enterprises (SMMEs). Nevertheless, there are many barriers which face local SMMEs in accessing tourism supply chains particularly in the Global South. This paper seeks to investigate the relationship between a major state-owned tourism asset in South Africa, Addo Elephant National Park, and SMME development. Using qualitative interviews with stakeholders within the Addo Elephant National Park, local tourism businesses as well as local SMMEs, the challenges faced by these enterprises in entering the tourism supply chain are highlighted as well as the tenuous linkages between local SMMEs and state-owned tourism assets.