Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Safaris Africa'

The diversity of wildlife resources and the highly-developed trophy hunting and game ranching industry make South Africa a sought-after destination for travelling hunters. Significant economic, social and ecological benefits result from the annual visits of 16 000 hunters. These benefits, in turn, accelerate industry competition. To maintain or increase the clientele base, hunting providers should continue to manage and improve their clients’ safari experiences. This research investigated visiting hunters’ South African safari experiences by measuring their perceptions of service quality, satisfaction and behavioural intention. The results of the research could assist hunting providers in identifying areas where service expectations are not met and understanding the impact of service quality and satisfaction on clients’ loyalty. The literature study contextualised the South African trophy hunting industry within the tourism environment, the realms of wildlife tourism, and the characteristics of hunting tourism. An overview of tourism services, service quality, customer satisfaction, and behavioural intention was also provided. The resulting conceptual model hypothesised relationships among the safari experience variables (service quality, satisfaction and behavioural intention). ii The empirical data were collected by means of a mail survey, using a self-administered questionnaire distributed to 2 000 foreign hunters who had participated in a South African hunting safari at least once between 2003 and 2007. Two hundred and thirty six completed questionnaires were returned, giving a response rate of 13.2%. The majority of the hunters were male, aged between 40 and 60 years, and from the United States of America and Europe. Hunters perceived the level of service quality delivery by hunting providers to be relatively high and were generally satisfied with their South African safaris. As a result, they were willing to return for another hunting experience and were very likely to speak positively about their experiences. By performing exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, a three-factor (augmented services, core services and supporting services) service quality construct was identified and confirmed. Multiple regression analyses found that core services was the strongest predictor of overall satisfaction; overall satisfaction was significantly related to revisit intention; and revisit intention significantly predicted word-of-mouth intention. An empirical model was accordingly constructed to replace the original conceptual model. iii It is recommended that South African hunting safari providers should: {u10007A} use the suggested measuring instrument to monitor their performance of service quality delivery on a regular basis; {u10007A} train their employees to ensure that they are knowledgeable and well prepared for field guidance and to promote ethical hunting practices; {u10007A} ensure an abundance of game and a wilderness atmosphere in the hunting area; {u10007A} conduct focus group studies to further understand the factors that shape clients’ perceptions of the safari experience; and {u10007A} invest in developing long-term relationships with existing clients.

Des voyages de la fin du XVIIIe siècle au tourisme cynégétique contemporain, les relations entre l’Europe et le continent africain ont été marquées par la pratique de la chasse. Le terme safari, qui désigne la formalisation dans une activité codifiée de ces séjours de chasse, suffit à incarner une certaine image romantique de l’Afrique sauvage. À travers une ethnographie dans des zones de chasse du nord du Bénin et l’analyse de sources textuelles et iconographiques diverses, il s’agit d’interroger le sens que donnent les chasseurs d’hier et d’aujourd’hui à leur engouement pour le safari de chasse. Lié historiquement au colonialisme, celui-ci peut être interprété comme une forme symbolique d’appropriation, à travers la mise en trophée de l’animal, d’un continent réduit à sa nature sauvage. Mais cette conquête, malgré sa facilité apparente, nécessite toutefois une contextualisation permettant d’actualiser des représentations du sauvage : y compris dans sa version commerciale, le safari ne peut se réduire à l’acquisition d’un trophée à prix d’argent. Les chasseurs associent de plus à leur pratique tout un discours de légitimation tournant autour de l’éthique de la chasse, qui emprunte, de nos jours, à des registres humanitaires ou écologistes. Si le tourisme cynégétique est relativement marginal et contesté dans le monde occidental contemporain, les représentations qui l’accompagnent et le fantasme d’un sauvage à conquérir incarné par le continent africain semblent, pour leur part, particulièrement répandus
Hunting has had a prominent place in the relations between Europe and the African continent, from the expeditions of the end of the 18th century through to contemporary hunting tourism. The word safari alone, which refers to the formalisation within a codified activity of these hunting trips, evokes a fairly romantic image of wild Africa. Using data from an ethnography in the hunting areas of north Benin, and with the analysis of various textual and iconographic documents, it is worth questioning the meaning that hunters of yesterday and today give to the their infatuation for safari hunting. Historically linked to colonialism, safari hunting can be interpreted as a kind of symbolical appropriation, in the shape of the hunting trophy, of a continent reduced to its wildness. This kind of conquest, however, in spite of its apparent ease, calls for a contextualisation to actualise the representations of the wild; even in its commercial version, a safari cannot be reduced to acquiring a paid-for trophy. Hunters furthermore link their activities to a legitimising discourse revolving around the ethics of hunting, a discourse which, nowadays, borrows from humanitarian or ecological discourses. Even though, on the one hand, hunting tourism is relatively marginal and controversial in the contemporary western world, the representations that go with it and the fantasy of a wilderness to be conquered – embodied by the African continent – are, on the other hand, particularly widespread

This research is presented in three sections. Section 1 presents the research report in an academic paper format. Section 2 provides a comprehensive literature review and Section 3 describes the research methodology and methods employed during the research. The tourism industry is the fastest growing sector within the South African Economy, with over 2.6 million foreign tourists visiting South Africa each year. Wildlife, landscapes and scenery are cited as the primary attractions for visiting the country, with over 45 percent of tourists visiting at least one wildlife or nature reserve during their stay in South Africa (Kerley et al., 2011:2). Sixty percent of those tourists travelled for leisure purposes, with 643,883 of the tourists utilising safari lodge accommodation during their visit (Ruggles-Brise, 2013). The Eastern Cape achieved 3.1 percent; of those tourist arrivals, with a bed-night contribution of 734,339, compared to the 16.8 percent (1.9million) and 10.5 percent (1.07million) for Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces respectively (Ruggles-Brise, 2013). The Eastern Cape lodges represent less than half the bed-nights achieved by Mpumalanga and Limpopo lodges. Due to the number of possible bed-nights available to lodges in the Eastern Cape, it is increasingly important for individual lodges to provide a unique experience, in order to be competitive in attracting guests (Saayman, 2013:81). This was used form part of the foundation to this research in determining the marketability of three lodges in the Eastern Cape, which was derived from the attractiveness of the lodges, determined by guests visiting the lodges. This research follows on from four previous surveys commissioned by INDALO, the Eastern Cape Private Nature Reserve Association in 2004 Sims-Castley et al. 2004), 2006 (Langholz et al., 2006), 2008 (Snowball et al., 2008) and 2011 (Kerley et al., 2011). Part of the research was to identify the main attractions of the reserves. These previous surveys provided a foundation for this research to follow on investigating guest motivations for visiting the three sample lodges and to determine visitor perception of poaching and whether it would impact their motivations for visiting the reserve. In order to address the goals of the research qualitative data was gathered during survey interviews conducted at the three sampled reserves. Seventy five (75) guests were interviewed, equally over the three reserves. Quantitative data was also gathered during the interview surveys, utilising Likert scale questions, prompting guests to choose their top attractions, from which basic descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data being able to determine possible trends amongst respondents and lodges. Results verified guest motivations from the previous surveys, confirming that game viewing, especially the “Big 5” remained the most important attraction for visitors to the reserves while the availability of natural scenery and landscape, high end accommodation and service, the proximity to the garden route and being located in a malaria free area were also see as attractive attributes of the lodges as per the previous surveys. Where the gap in the research was indicated based on guests perception of poaching and whether it would impact their motivations for visit these lodges, impacting that lodges marketability (attractiveness). Results indicated that if they were unable to view the iconic ‘Big Five’ at the reserve due to the extent of poaching. Respondents indicated that the impact would likely and very likely impact their decision to choose the reserves over another reserve that could. Indicating the potential impact that poaching would have on lodges if they were to lose their iconic species which would spell the loss in attractiveness and therefore marketability.

Concern for elephant welfare in zoological facilities has prompted a number of exhibit and management modifications, including those involving enrichment. Knowledge of how these changes impact measures of health and wellbeing, such as elephant movement and behavior, is crucial as the effects of multiple enrichment types and their interactions are largely understudied. The present study used observations and GPS unit collected data to determine the effects of space and food on the walking distance and behavior of thirteen African elephants, whose dominance structure was ascertained by the handlers at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (SDZSP). This facility has two exhibits of approximately equal size. Three treatments were created to assess the effects of food and space enrichment: (1) access to half of the exhibit with food (Half); (2) access to both yards with food in one yard, or half the total exhibit space (Both/Half); and (3) access to both yards with food in both (Both). To account for mirrored effects, the reverse for Half and Both/Half were also completed. Significant differences across treatments were revealed for average total walking distances, which varied among elephants belonging to different dominance groups. Overall, treatment Both evoked the most diverse behavior. Walking and behavioral data were related, as were walking distances and elephant dominance rank. No such relationships were found between dominance and behavioral measures. The information obtained from this study has direct implications for the management of the SDZSP elephants and could be applicable for elephants at other facilities that consider the choices between increasing the size of exhibits and the use of other forms of enrichment.

When implemented within a favourable legislative framework, Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) can produce domestic growth-enhancing spillovers in host countries. Other potential positive effects include the provision of investment capital, the creation of local employment and the transfer of sophisticated technology or advanced knowledge. African nations in particular have been historically reliant on externally-provided funds. Prevailing low income levels, marginal savings rates and the absence of functioning financial markets necessary to provide local start-up capital continue to keep Africa reliant on foreign inflows. Considering China’s increasing financial commitments to Sub- Saharan Africa (SSA) over the last decade, this study examines the state of current Sino-African investment relationships. Specific attention is paid to the outcomes of this strategic bilateral alliance in order to determine whether or not a mutually beneficial investment relationship has evolved. The distinct nature and structure of, the motivation behind and the most significant determinants of Chinese FDI to SSA are all analysed in accordance with traditional FDI theories. A case study approach is used to establish whether China’s contemporary interest in SSA differs from historical investments and to also investigate country-specific commonalities and differences. Of particular relevance to SSA are resource-backed Chinese loans that finance major infrastructure projects in host nations. Interestingly, a lot of the Sino-African investment packages resemble similar deals struck between China and Japan in the 1970s. The results of this study indicate that China’s investment motives seem more diverse than initially expected. Resource-seeking, profit-seeking and market access-seeking reasons appear to be the most important motives. After establishing the Top- Ten recipients of Chinese FDI in SSA, these nations are then classified into three major categories: resource-, oil- or agricultural-rich nations. Undiversified resource- or oil-rich economies are found to have secured the largest shares of Chinese FDI. This study suggests that China’s contemporary “African Safari” is an unconventional way of providing financial assistance. Rather than solely supplying FDI, China finances a diverse mix of instruments, the most important being concessional loans, export credits, zero-interest loans and the establishment of Special Economic Zones. A profound difference to traditional Western investment packages is China’s non-interference approach. Accordingly, Beijing not only refrains from intervening in host countries’ domestic affairs but also refuses to attach formal conditionalties to its loans. China’s “financial safari” into Africa has produced many positive as well as negative effects in host countries. Nevertheless, it would seem that the positive effects outweigh the negative and China’s FDI could contribute to sustainable development in SSA

The purpose of this article is to establish a textual parallel between Hunter S. Thompson`s Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and Ernest Hemingway`s Green Hills of Africa. Thompson took Hemingway’s novel as a challenge to write under extreme duress. Thompson twisted many passages from Green Hills to fit his own text. He used bitter irony to translate Hemingway`s text into his own “Gonzo” reportage. Thompson`s friend and traveling companion, Oscar Z. Acosta, is used as an example of how Thompson rewrote Hemingway. Acosta`s Autobiography of a Brown Buffalo is referenced as the nexus of the two novels, making Acosta the primary focus of Thompson`s rewrite. These men, their methods, and their works fit together under Thompson`s pen. Hemingway`s religious, racial, and bestial imagery are included in Thompson`s narrative. However, these images are made ironic and do not plagiarize the original copy.

2020 has seen many businesses across all industries struggle and, in some cases, shut down due to the coronavirus pandemic declared in March 2020 by the World Health Organisation. Perhaps the most affected industry was and still is the tourism sector, with a reported 100% of global destinations restricting travel in different senses (UNWTO, 2020). Various adaptation strategies have been adopted by businesses in the tourism industry to curb the negative economic impacts the pandemic has had. Some adaptation strategies that have been implemented in Zambian safari businesses include focusing on the domestic market which has not been a priority in the past. This research investigates some impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Zambian safari industry and analyses some strategies that have been adopted to adapt to said impacts. This has been done through semi-structured interviews with senior staff at four safari lodges in South Luangwa National Park. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on lodges in South Luangwa National Park. It was found that all four lodges that were interviewed faced drastic impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, mainly in that they faced significant financial losses, low occupancy and temporary closure. The findings also showed that they were able to adapt in several ways, with the most significant being the shift from an international market to the emerging domestic market.

The build–up of 6Li and 3He, that is, the strong thermal neutron absorbers or the so called "neutron poisons", in the beryllium reflector changes the physical characteristics of the reactor, such as reactivity, neutron spectra, neutron flux level, power distribution, etc.; furthermore,gaseous isotopes such as 3H and 4He induce swelling and embrittlement of the reflector. The SAFARI–1 research reactor, operated by Necsa at Pelindaba in South Africa, uses a beryllium reflector on three sides of the core, consisting of 19 beryllium reflector elements in total. This MTR went critical in 1965, and the original beryllium reflectors are still used. The individual neutron irradiation history of each beryllium reflector element, as well as the impact of beryllium poisoning on reactor parameters, were never well known nor investigated before. Furthermore, in the OSCAR{3 code system used in predictive neutronic calculations for SAFARI–1, beryllium reflector burn–up is not accounted for; OSCAR models the beryllium reflector as a non–burnable, 100% pure material. As a result, the poisoning phenomenon is not accounted for. Furthermore, the criteria and hence the optimum replacement time of the reflector has never been developed. This study presents detailed calculations, using MCNP, FISPACT and the OSCAR{3 code system, to quantify the influence of impurities that were originally present in the fresh beryllium reflector, the beryllium reflector poisoning phenomenon, and further goes on to propose the reflector's replacement criteria based on the calculated fluence and predicted swelling. Comparisons to experimental low power flux measurements and effects of safety parameters are also established. The study concludes that, to improve the accuracy and reliability of the predictive OSCAR code calculations, beryllium re flector burn–up should undoubtedly be incorporated in the next releases of OSCAR. Based on this study, the inclusion of the beryllium reflector burn–up chains is planned for implementation in the currently tested OSCAR–4 code system. In addition to beryllium reflector poisoning, the replacement criteria of the reflector is developed. It is however crucial that experimental measurements on the contents of 3H and 4He be conducted and thus swelling of the reflector be quantifed. In this way the calculated results could be verified and a sound replacement criteria be developed. In the absence of experimental measurements on the beryllium reflector, the analysis and quantifcation of the calculated results is reserved for future studies.
Thesis (M.Sc. Engineering Sciences (Nuclear Engineering))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2011.

To feed the voracious economic machine that is China’s economy, Beijing’s foray into the global sphere has become increasingly resource driven. In the past two decades, China’s formation of strategic partnerships has manifested in its symbolic bilateral cooperation with resource-rich actors outside the Western sphere. This being said it is important to explore Chinese foreign direct investments in the developing world, more specifically the critical ties it has fostered in Africa. Since 1996, Africa has been a key recipient of Chinese FDI. As the bulk of Chinese investments are increasingly directed towards Africa’s more politically volatile states, this Thesis seeks to understand the motivations of Beijing’s outward FDI and the risk management strategies it has developed for the region. Taking into account China’s rise to global power, the author will further investigate whether China’s increasing role in Africa will force the PRC to change its foreign policy goals of ‘non –intervention’ under the pressures of the international community. The author will then purpose that despite increased international scrutiny, structural inadequacies of the Chinese state will be too great an obstacle for any real change in policy.

Since the 1950s, men and women, mainly Rastafari from the West Indies, have moved as repatriates to Shashamane, Ethiopia. This is a spiritually and ideologically oriented journey to the promised land of Ethiopia (Africa) and to the land granted by His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie I. Although migration across regions of the global south is less common than migration from the global south to north, this move is even more distinct because it is not primarily motivated by economic concerns. This thesis - the first in-depth ethnographic study of the repatriate population - focuses on the conceptual and pragmatic ways in which repatriates and their Ethiopian-born children “rehome” this area of Shashamane that is now called Jamaica Safar (or village in the Amharic language). There is a simultaneous Rasta identification of themselves as Ethiopians and as His Majesty’s people, which is often contested in legal and civic spheres, with a West Indian social inscription of Shashamane. These dynamics have emerged from a Rastafari re-invention of personhood that was fostered in West Indian Creole society. These ideas converge in a central concern with the inalienability of the land grant that is shared by repatriates, their children and Rastafari outside Ethiopia as well. Accordingly, the repatriate population of Shashamane becomes the centre of international social and economic networks. The children born on this land thus demonstrate the success of their parents’ repatriation. They are the ones who will ensure the Rastafari presence there in perpetuity.

Abstract: This research is the culmination of a four-year investigation and analysis into the principles of Interaction Design, particularly those that are found to be most suitable when designing and developing interactive navigation systems. The research was undertaken as a Masters degree by project. The project consists of a CD containing an online gallery showcasing works of art and an accompanying exegesis. The exegesis is structured into seven chapters, which consider, analyse and define what the key characteristics of Interaction Design are, where it comes from, and how it improves the quality of interactive multimedia applications. The exegesis includes four case studies that look at how other practitioners in the digital realm have created systems for showcasing narrative or creative content online. I examine alternative artworks and how they have shaped the development of creative media. I investigate what experts in the field define as good Interaction Design and what guidelines and principles they recommend. I show how these guidelines conflict with more creative approaches and how good design and creativity can be merged to be usable and friendly to users. I also look at the history of opponents of guidelines and principles and how their contribution helps make design better. By creating the example gallery I aim to help designers working within the field of ID to understand the principles behind good design in order that they may deliver higher-quality user experiences relevant to the content they are displaying. By creating this gallery I also hope to help artists understand the principles behind good design in order that they may showcase their artworks in ways appropriate to their artwork. By designing and building an example I aim to provide a better understanding of how to construct a feature-rich application in an easy to use and understandable environment.

PH.D., Faculty of Humanities, University of the Witwatersrand, 2011
Through a case study of the relationship between the rural Makuleke community and the regional tourism operator Wilderness Safaris, this thesis examines the impact of tourism partnerships on community development in post-­‐ apartheid South Africa. The study considers the tourism component of the ‘Makuleke model’, a concept used frequently in academic and popular literature to refer to the community’s landmark land restitution case involving the Kruger National Park (KNP). Thirty years after experiencing a forced removal by the apartheid regime, the Makuleke community in 1998 was able to regain their lost land (the Pafuri area of Kruger National Park) and benefit from it through conservation and tourism. The Makuleke have partnered with three tourism operators, their main concessionaire being Wilderness Safaris. Their contractual agreement obliges the tourism company to pay lease fees to the Makuleke Communal Property Association (CPA) and to employ Makuleke residents. To further community development, Wilderness Safaris established a joint venture with the Makuleke CPA, and also runs an environmental education programme for children. Evidence for this thesis was collected over a two and a half year period (from May 2007 to December 2009) using three methodological approaches: archival research, participant observation and semi-­‐structured, open-­‐ended interviews. In analysing the Makuleke CPA-­‐Wilderness Safaris partnership, findings reveal that ten years after the land claim, the commended ‘Makuleke model’ is neither as conceptually coherent nor as practically successful as is commonly supposed. I argue that although the model denotes success, a closer scrutiny of its foundations, assumptions and context expose inherent forces and practices that hinder its long-­‐ term effective implementation. Influenced by post-­‐development theory, I question perceptions of equality in benefit distribution, critique the juxtaposition of traditional with modern values, and examine contestations over power within the Makuleke community. I demonstrate how these features undermine the potential for the genuine transformation and broad-­‐based social upliftment that tourism-­‐led development purposes to achieve at Makuleke. My research findings confirm post-­‐development theoretical propositions that criticise the contradictions in orthodox development procedures and call for a rethinking of the premises upon which approaches to community upliftment through tourism are generally founded.

My graduation thesis is called {\clq}qCrocks of Safari`` and it is divided into two main segments. The First part is theoretical which explains my inspiration, choice of theme and material, method of working - starting with design, ending with final artwork and its installation. It also considers the techniques of mosaic creation. It includes image documentation, which enriches and completes the text. The Second part is practical which includes its own graphic creation. That is two mosaic images made out of combined material {--} ceramics and glass (mirror) inserted into a metal frame. It features graphic structures and elements of an African fauna. It specifically interprets cut outs from herd of zebras and their typical stripes. My goal was to create abstract images where you can feel the character of used material and harmony of natural structures.

Understanding how African elephants (Loxodonta africana) respond to human interactions in ecotourism operations is critical to safeguarding animal and human welfare and sustaining wildlife ecotourism activities. We investigated the stress response of elephants to a variety of tourist activities over a 15-month period at Abu Camp in northern Botswana. We compared fecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) concentrations across three elephant groups, including: eight elephants in an elephant-tourism operation (Abu herd), three elephants previously reintroduced back into the wild from the Abu herd, and wild elephants. There were no differences in FGM concentrations between the three groups of elephants. The highest observed FGM concentrations were associated with episodic events (e.g. intraherd conflict, loud noise, physical injury) unrelated to tourist activities. FGM concentrations differed between the elephant-tourist activities with ride only and mixed ride/walk activities eliciting higher FGM concentrations compared to days when there were no elephant-tourist interactions. The elephant experience tourism industry faces challenges in managing elephants who’s aggressive or unpredictable behavior makes them ill-suited to captivity, training, and interaction with handlers and tourists. Reintroduction of these elephants back into the wild may be a favorable solution if the welfare of released individuals, recipient wild animal populations, and human populations can be ensured. We describe the post-release movements of two African elephants, one female and one bull, from an elephant-back-safari enterprise in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. We compared the movements of the female with that of two wild females collared in the same wildlife management concession. We assess their home range size, proximity to human dwellings, and fidelity to their former home range as former members of their semi-captive, working herd from which they were released. We found significant differences between the home range size of our released elephant and that of the two wild elephants. Additionally, the released female and released bull occurred more frequently in close proximity (within 250 m) to tourist lodges throughout the Delta. The released elephants also frequented sites used by the working Abu herd with greater frequency than the wild elephants, and this visitation rate did not significantly decline during respective four- and two-year post-release monitoring periods, despite the positive growth in home range size.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science, Johannesburg 2018
The calculation of reactor-specific fission Q-values is important for the safety analyses of nuclear reactors. The recoverable energy from the fission Q-value is used to normalise reactor quantities to the total power of the reactor. In this work, a detailed recoverable energy from fission Q-value and spatial heat deposition calculations are presented for the SAFARI-1 nuclear reactor. The fission Q-value is composed of the energy released in a fission event by fission products, neutrons, prompt and delayed gamma rays, beta particles and neutrinos. The energy released by neutrinos is not recoverable; however, part of it is recovered by the gamma and beta radiation from the decay of activated materials. We present two methods to calculate the recoverable energy released per fission. The first one uses the Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP5) code. MCNP is a probabilistic transport code that has the capability of calculating most of the heating contributions due to particle interactions with matter. The second method uses the Evaluated Nuclear Data File, ENDF/B-VII and ENDF/B-VII.1 data libraries. The ENDF data libraries contains the information required to calculate all the fission Q-value components, excepttheenergyreleasedfromradiativecapture, sincethisquantity depends on the reactor materials. To calculate this, we use the radiative capture reaction rate in MCNP5 and the binding energy of the product of the activation. We obtained a final Q-value of 200.8±0.6 MeV/fission for SAFARI-1. Using the fission Q-value result, we obtained the spatial heat distribution for SAFARI-1 by ii calculating the heating rates of the Q-value components. It was established that 97% of the heat produced is deposited in the fuel and 3% is deposited in the surrounding region of the reactor.
XL2019

This thesis explores the interface between community development via tourism and the field of development communication vis-à-vis a case study of the community-owned and privatelyoperated !Xaus Lodge in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The research is informed by Critical Indigenous Qualitative Research that employs interpretive research practices that aim to be ethical, transformative, participatory and committed to dialogue. The study valorises the voices of all lodge stakeholders analysing their expectations and how they negotiate the processes involved in the establishment and operations of the lodge. As a longitudinal study from 2006 until 2011 it focuses on the processes involved in transforming a failed poverty alleviation-built tourism asset into a commercial product with a range of benefits for the community partners. The processes involved are studied and shaped via participatory action research. This thesis generates a generalised public-private-community lodge partnership development communication model based on the findings of the !Xaus Lodge case study. The analysis of !Xaus Lodge is guided by development communication principles and practice such as the Communication for Participatory Development (CFPD) model, as well as the notion of pro-poor tourism (PPT). The applicability of these policies, approaches and models is problematised highlighting the complexity of development on the ground, particularly with indigenous and local communities. This study sets out the importance of cultural relativity in development projects whereby possible differences in the stakeholders‟ history, epistemology and ontology should be taken into consideration if a project is to negotiate both the demands of commercial viability as well as the symbolic and spiritual needs of the community partners.
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.