Public procurement, state assets and inclusive tourism: South African debates

Abstract

Inclusive tourism represents a concept which is attracting major interest in international literature and an increasing policy focus in South Africa. Public procurement is used in South Africa as a vehicle for supporting national development goals. Against the background of growing interest on the behalf of South Africa's national government to utilize public procurement for leveraging a more inclusive development path the aim is to direct attention to the potential application of public procurement as a vehicle for enhanced inclusion in the country's tourism sector. Three sections of discussion are presented. As essential context the first section reviews international debates around public procurement as a policy tool. The second section turns attention to ongoing South African debates and policy initiatives around the leveraging of public procurement. State assets are the focus in the third section and their use through public procurement as a potential policy vehicle for inclusive tourism development in South Africa. In terms of methodology the paper draws upon a critical analysis of international experience of procurement, a review and analysis of policy documents, and published and unpublished data on immovable state assets that can be applied potentially in using public procurement for inclusive tourism development in South Africa. The central argument is multiple opportunities exist for public procurement to lever state assets in support of the goals of inclusive tourism development in South Africa.