Tourism resilience and challenges in Limpopo, South Africa: A post-COVID-19 analysis

Abstract

This study investigates the impact, recovery and resilience of COVID-19 on South Africa's Limpopo Province's tourism industry. The study utilises surveys (n = 115) and interviews (n = 50) to examine the impact, recovery, resilience, success and challenges of various tourism-related businesses, including national parks, restaurants, and hotels. Despite minimal government support and significant challenges like erratic utilities, high inflation, and a global economic downturn, the sector showed resilience, with few business failures. While some businesses in the accommodation sector diversified into areas like student accommodation, some survived by cutting the number of staff, tapping into savings, borrowing and adopting various cost containment measures to survive the pandemic. Post the pandemic, the sector faces issues like decreased demand due to technological changes in meetings and conferences and employee mental health concerns. The study underscores the need for strategic management and specific policy interventions to ensure the sector's resilience and survival post-pandemic.