From Liquor to Leisure: The Changing South African Hotel Industry 1928-1968

Historical scholarship in tourism studies is relatively limited, mainly focused on North America and Western Europe. The aim in this article is to examine one neglected facet of the historical development of urban tourism in South Africa. Specifically, the focus is on the changing nature of South African hotels and of the hotel industry during the period of 1928-1968. During this period, a transformation occurred in the nature of the hotel sector 'from liquor to leisure'. This change shifted the trajectory of hotel developments in South Africa and laid the essential foundations for the beginnings of an internationally competitive tourism industry. An understanding of developments taking place in the hotel industry through this formative period of 1928-1968 is essential for interpreting the evolution of the modern South African hotel industry.