Inclusivity for Resilient National Parks Tourism in Post-Apartheid South Africa

Nature-based tourism in South Africa has a divided history due to colonial and apartheid legacies. Despite the end of apartheid, inclusion in this sector remains slow with certain racialized divisions persistent in the post-apartheid period. Furthermore, there is a substantial gap in literature on African perspectives within the tourism context, despite accounting for the vast majority of the population. This study seeks to bridge some of these gaps by examining the perspectives of Black South African nature tourists using the case study of visitors to Kruger National Park. The results highlight some of the opportunities and challenges faced by Black South Africans including inadequate marketing and psychological exclusion. This data can assist in developing a resilient nature-based tourism subsector through enhancing domestic tourism, particularly important in the context of polycrises. These trends are also important for the sustainability of the country’s protected areas, for which tourism income and support from local communities is crucial.