Contribution of cultural tourism to the socio-economic development of Thaba-Bosiu community's livelihoods

Abstract

Cultural tourism has been recognised for its significant contribution to the economies of various countries. However, there remains a lack of investigation into its role in the socio-economic development and livelihoods of communities. This study investigated why cultural tourism was struggling to improve the socio-economic conditions of the Thaba-Bosiu communities at Ha- Khoabane and Majakaneng, using the lens of Community-Based Tourism theory. The study employed a qualitative research approach. Since the qualitative technique allowed people to express themselves, the researcher was able to investigate and gain experiences and feelings revealed by participants. The data collected from primary sources were analysed using a qualitative thematic approach. The study addresses three research questions: (1) How does skills and knowledge affect cultural tourism in its efforts to improve livelihoods in Thaba-Bosiu? (2) What is the effect of cultural activities at Thaba-Bosiu on the livelihoods of the community? and (3) How do tourism policies impact cultural tourism's ability to improve the livelihoods of local people? The findings revealed that cultural tourism was not fully successful in improving the livelihoods of the Thaba-Bosiu community. It attracted cultural activities and tourists to the area creating employment opportunities but these activities were reported to be too few and far apart to sustainable improve community’s livelihoods