Historical Niche Tourism: Consumptive Wildlife Tourism in South Africa, 1890-1939

Historical studies on niche tourism are limited in existing international scholarship. The aim in this paper is to provide an historical perspective concerning the development of consumptive wildlife tourism in South Africa. The novelty of the contribution is its historical perspective and in tracing the establishment and active promotion of hunting and fishing as niches within the evolving South African tourism economy. Using historical guidebooks and archival material the research focuses on the period 1890 to 1939, formative years for early tourism development. The niche of consumptive wildlife tourism is differentiated into hunting and fishing tourism, the latter segmented between sea fishing and inland trout fishing. The research discloses that from the last decade of the nineteenth century until the outbreak of the Second World War, South Africa was promoted as a destination for its assets for the ‘sports’ of hunting and fishing. The leading driver for building the niche of consumptive wildlife tourism was the agency of South African Railways and Harbours. Arguably, the assets for hunting and fishing were part of wider promotional initiatives taking place to grow international tourist arrivals in South Africa.