A decade of second home tourism research in South Africa: Research prospects for the developing world?

It has been 10 years since second home tourism emerged as a topic of investigation in South Africa. A number of book chapters, articles, masters and PhD theses have appeared, focusing on the economic, social and environmental impacts of second home tourism. From these core investigations, new themes have emerged such as methodological challenges, the consequences of second home tourism for town and regional planning and the place of second homes in the South African post-productivist countryside. Issues relating to personal mobility and (inter)national migration of different population groups across varied income levels have also been scrutinised. Despite a decade of dedicated inquiry, much research is still required to understand this phenomenon fully within the South African context. Furthermore, investigators need to acknowledge the role of second home tourism as a potential driver for many tourist regions.