Tourism Routes as Vehicles for Local Economic Development in South Africa: The Example of the Magaliesberg Meander

Tourism routes have emerged as a significant element for promotion of tourism, especially in small towns and rural areas. In South Africa, considerable policy attention is currently focused upon the development of new tourism routes. This article examines the local development impacts of the Magaliesberg Maender, a route tourism initiative that traverses across two South African provinces. It is argued that whilst this tourism route has extended the tourism growth potential of the locality, its wider impacts upon surrounding communities have been limited because of the weakness of local government to address issues concerning tourism planning.