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This paper assesses the use the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) indicators for monitoring tourism along a mountainous route. The study was carried out along a mountain route in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa. A survey was carried out among tourism businesses, local communities and local government officials located along the Maluti Route, which passes though the eastern part of the Free State Province of South Africa. This study constitutes the first assessment in which the GSTC indicators are applied in the assessment of the sustainability of route tourism in South Africa. The study first evaluated the importance of each indicator by considering the level of application in tourism business organisations before examining the perceptions of local community members and local government officials regarding the applicability of the indicators in the assessment of tourism sustainability. The results suggest that there is a general appreciation of tourism sustainability among tourism business operators although shortcomings were evident on environmental and socioeconomic indicators. In conclusion, the paper suggests ways through which tourism sustainability could be enhanced among different players along the Maluti Route.

Poverty reduction is necessary for the attainment of sustainable tourism development. Ironically, in many mountain regions, tourism destinations are concomitant with extreme poverty. Route tourism is regarded as one of the few poverty reduction options available to mountain communities. This study used the worldviews theory to compare the perceptions of the three distinct groups, namely local communities, tourism business operators and local government officials, regarding the contribution of route tourism to poverty reduction along the Maluti Route, in the Drakensberg Mountain Region of South Africa. A survey was carried out among 80 tourism business operators and 250 community members, and complimented with in-depth interviews held with local government officials and observations that were made in tourism business organisations. The results indicate diametrically opposed viewpoints between tourism business operators and local communities. While business organisations believe that they are significantly contributing to poverty reduction in the region, local communities acknowledge only a limited number of benefits from tourism. The study concludes that tourism can work for the poor if they are adequately equipped with skills to contribute in tourism investment and if the tourism cake is deliberately ‘tilted’ towards them. We conclude by highlighting the need for communication among stakeholders about current efforts and options available to reduce poverty through tourism, including the training of locals in tourism related skills, as well as improving linkages among industry, government and tourism industry as a measure for enhancing the role of tourism in poverty reduction.

This paper assesses the use the Global Sustainable Tourism Criteria (GSTC) indicators for monitoring tourism along a mountainous route. The study was carried out along a mountain route in the Drakensberg Mountains of South Africa. A survey was carried out among tourism businesses, local communities and local government officials located along the Maluti Route, which passes though the eastern part of the Free State Province of South Africa. This study constitutes the first assessment in which the GSTC indicators are applied in the assessment of the sustainability of route tourism in South Africa. The study first evaluated the importance of each indicator by considering the level of application in tourism business organisations before examining the perceptions of local community members and local government officials regarding the applicability of the indicators in the assessment of tourism sustainability. The results suggest that there is a general appreciation of tourism sustainability among tourism business operators although shortcomings were evident on environmental and socio-economic indicators. In conclusion, the paper suggests ways through which tourism sustainability could be enhanced among different players along the Maluti Route.

This paper employs the Critical Success Factor Framework to investigate the level to which current tourism business practices reflect the existing responsible tourism policies and regulations in the Drakensberg Mountain Region of South Africa. A survey was carried out among 80 tourism business operators, in conjunction with in-depth interviews with key informants from the local government departments. The findings of the study suggest that, although current policies and regulations amply cover all the important issues related to sustainable mountain route tourism, they are fragmented, left to the discretion of tourism and hospitality operators in the region and have not been sufficiently enforced among these operators. The policies and regulations governing tourism in the region are also not specific enough to guide tourism development in fragile mountain environments. This has left tourism sustainability in destinations within the region at the mercy and creativity of the tourism business operators, resulting in uneven practices. In conclusion, this paper adopts the Critical Success Factors Framework in developing possible steps towards improving the adoption of sustainable tourism in the region.