Tourism and spatial development initiatives: The case of the maputo development corridor

Tourism in South Africa is a strategic sector and potentially one of the driving forces of the economy in the 21st century. The developmental effects and issues surrounding the changing tourism economy need to be more clearly understood. In this paper the focus is upon the consequences and development issues surrounding tourism and Spatial Development Initiatives. First, a context to South African tourism developments is provided by investigating key changes taking place in tourism-led economic development strategies, in particular the shift away from a mass tourism model towards the emergence of so-termed ‘alternative tourism’ which is a core focus in SDI projects. Second, attention turns to the changing South African policy environment towards tourism, focussing on new policy initiatives, particularly since 1994. Lastly, SDIs and tourism are discussed, analysing the developmental implications of tourism in the example of the Maputo Development Corridor. The case of the Maputo Development Corridor illustrates the challenges that are faced in terms of planning for tourism-led development within the SDI's.