Identifying Urban Tourism Development Challenges in Mahikeng

This research aimed to identify urban tourism development challenges in Mahikeng. Using a quantitative research method, a self-administered questionnaire was developed and distributed online. A database consisting of active tourism product suppliers in Mahikeng, obtained from the Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT) was used. Fifty-two completed questionnaires were returned out of 60. To reach the aim of this study, descriptive statistics and an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were done, which yielded four factors: provincial-level management challenges, national-level management challenges, municipal-level management challenges, and private sector management challenges. There is a lack of coordination and planning among different departments of government, while the private sector is heavily relying on government support. Through these results, tourism product suppliers in Mahikeng can strive towards self-motivation and form tourism associations. Government can revisit their tourism strategic management objectives to overcome the identified challenges and, in turn, ensure sustainable urban tourism development in Mahikeng.