Transformation of the tourism sector in South Africa: A possible growth stimulant?

Transformation is regarded as a national imperative in South Africa to deal with the inequalities of the past. Several pieces of legislation, policies and codes have been instituted to drive the process in the country. The question, however, remains whether the transformation process has resulted in a compliance culture or if indeed it is aspirational in driving change that is forward thinking, innovative and truly all inclusive. The travel and tourism sector is a sector that can provide access to the economy for many in terms of job creation and entrepreneurial opportunities. In South Africa, the National Tourism Sector Strategy (NTSS) which provides a blueprint for the tourism sector, places transformation at the centre of the changes required to grow the sector. The aim of the paper is to analyse the transformation processes underway in the tourism sector in South Africa and the impact that this may have had on promoting growth and access in the sector. In terms of international tourism scholarship this paper debates a distinctive dimension of the tourism sector in South Africa, namely the processes and progress around transformation.