Why it is not enough to have beautiful rock art sites to attract tourists? Challenges facing cultural heritage tourism in a remote area, Limpopo Province, South Africa

Abstract

Starting from the observation that having exceptional rock art sites is not enough on its own to attract tourists, we use a case study in the Makgabeng to analyse the challenges many remote areas face when trying to develop rock art tourism. Several initiatives to attract tourists to cultural heritage sites in the province have been launched since the late 2000s, without producing the anticipated growth in visitor numbers. The study combines empirical and qualitative analyses of data obtained from field observations, focus groups, and semistructured interviews, all conducted in 2019. In addition, grey literature (i.e. reports, travel guides, etc.), and tourism websites were used to investigate whether comparative research from the uKhahlamba Drakensberg mountains could be applied to address visitor numbers in the Makgabeng. In terms of practical applications, identifying obstacles to development and the sustainability of initiatives, our results may help stakeholders orientate their actions. From a methodological perspective, our study shows the value of using a systemic and multiscale approach to analyse factors that impact a given place, and the interactive and evolving dynamics linking these factors on different spatial levels. This type of analysis provides a synoptic and holistic assessment of the challenges facing tourist development projects in remote areas.