Paper short abstract:

By looking at one key case study and comparing it to other tourism sites in the region, the paper will examine how San-culture is perceived, depicted, formed and used both by tourists and local actors.

Paper long abstract:

Cultural tourism has become an increasingly important sector of the tourism industry in Southern Africa. One segment of this form of tourism focuses on indigenous or so-called tribal people, their customs, traditional knowledge and heritage. Both NGOs and many scholars see cultural tourism as an opportunity to give a sustainable income source to poor and/or rural communities. Critics fear that ethno-tourism might lead to devaluation and commodification of culture, perpetuate stereotypes and result in new economic dependencies. Several San-speaking groups have become involved in tourism offering both cultural activities such as bush-walks, dances and craft making as well as accommodation, ranging from basic camping facilities to luxury lodges. The paper introduces, different ethno-tourism venues, some of which are privately owned others initiated by NGOs. By looking at one key case study and comparing it to other tourism sites in the region, the paper will examine how San-culture is perceived, depicted, formed and used both by tourists and local actors. Both groups see the cultural activities as education offering facts and knowledge about nature as well as a toehold for intercultural learning. The interest taken in their culture by tourists breeds self-esteem and cultural pride for local actors. The tourism ventures have diverse social and economic implications for the local communities. Mostly those people participate who are already in eminent positions within local society and can invest either social or cultural capital. Challenges in providing and maintaining facilities and service arise depending on the scale and market sector of the venture.