Tourism as a Neoliberal Economic Messiah

Abstract

Tourism has grown since the democratic transition in 1994. The growth of tourism has been so spectacular that today, tourism is regarded as the new gold, as it is South Africa's number one export. For the past 24 years, tourism's growth rate has always exceeded the national growth rate of the country. The sustained growth of tourism caught the attention of policy makers and private investors. The growth of tourism has mitigated the decline of mining, especially gold mining, that was the primary driver of the economy for decades. The economy of South Africa is suffering from a decline in the commodity prices, and the shedding of jobs in mining. The rise of tourism occurred when the economic fortunes were dampened by the decline of mining and agriculture, leading to widespread poverty associated with unemployment. Tourism has become an economic messiah. The literature review adds to a paucity of academic gaze on the tourism industry in South Africa.