Chinese outbound tourism to South Africa: a strategic approach

Abstract

China and South Africa are currently two major developing countries that have undergone radical socio-economic development since the reform and opening up of China in 1978 and the founding of the new democratic dispensation in South Africa in 1994 respectively. Both have experienced dramatic changes in terms of their tourism development, as well as their relationships. In the light of this, this study is concerned with Chinese outbound tourism to South Africa within the context of a strategic approach. The study focuses on the strategies that South Africa has and could implement to develop this market of over 1.3 billion people. Using strategy theories from a wide range of disciplines, such as military thinking, business, management and tourism, it compiles a proposed framework for the process of tourism and marketing strategies to address this issue. This framework, which is comprised of strategy formulation, strategy implementation and strategy feedback, is used to assess the tourism strategies of South Africa after 1994. It also considers the marketing strategies in the global tourism market, focusing particularly on the Chinese outbound tourism market to South Africa. The study conducts a SWOT analysis of tourism in South Africa to China, with reference to Chinese outbound tourism to Australia so as to identify the gaps prevalent in the South African development of this market. In addition, the results obtained from an empirical survey on Chinese tourists to South Africa not only underscore a new concept of “strategy feedback” proposed in this study, but provide a SWOT analysis of tourism in South Africa to better understand Chinese tourists, thereby establishing South Africa as a preferred tourism destination in the Chinese tourism market. Moreover, it provides suggestions for South Africa to develop the Chinese outbound tourism sector, which could also serve other developing countries in Africa.