AbstractThis chapter examines tourism in South Africa, more specifically in the province of KwaZulu-Natal. Interviews conducted with the major stakeholders between 1994 and 1999 set out to consider whether, within the context of the province's political economy, ecotourism allowed the authors to identify a cluster of historical, political and social factors that contributed to ecotourism's evolution in KwaZulu Natal. It is concluded that despite enthusiasm for ecotourism in the province, this research over 5 years has found disparities between rhetoric and the and actual opportunities, and between the desirable and the affordable. Factors such as poverty, illiteracy, poor health, inadequate public resources, low employment prospects, land hunger, fear of violence, a resurgence of traditional politics and a shared memory of apartheid have been key determinants in whether or not the local communities have benefited from the development of ecotourism in the province.