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Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series

Tourist perceptions and attitudes regarding the impacts of climate change on Victoria Falls
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Tourist perceptions and attitudes regarding the impacts of climate change on Victoria Falls

Authors

  • Kaitano Dube Department of Hospitality, Tourism and PR Management Vaal University of Technology Andries Potgieter BLVD Vanderbijpark 1911
  • Godwell Nhamo University of South Africa Institute for Corporate Citizenship, Pretoria, South Africa

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.2478/bog-2020-0002

Keywords

Climate change, tourism, perceptions, waterfalls drying up, Victoria Falls

Abstract

Tourist perceptions are critical in shaping tourism development at a destination. Regardless of the centrality and vulnerability of the tourism industry, tourism geographers have been shying away from perception studies, and more so in Africa. Some of the destinations most vulnerable to climate change and related weather activities are water-based natural resorts. Recent droughts have ignited an intense debate that has brought the future viability of tourism in Victoria Falls into question. Using a mixed-method approach, the study sought to document tourist perceptions and attitudes regarding the impact and future of the Victoria Falls World Heritage Site. It emerged that Victoria Falls is categorised as last-chance tourism. Going forward there is need for continuous resort monitoring, tourism product diversification, and transparency and proper communication, particularly during years of extreme droughts, in order to avoid tourism disruption. Climate change action is a must for all tourism stakeholders to save the resort.

Author Biographies

Kaitano Dube, Department of Hospitality, Tourism and PR Management Vaal University of Technology Andries Potgieter BLVD Vanderbijpark 1911

Dr Dube is a lecturer at the Vaal University of Technology's  Ecotourism Management

Godwell Nhamo, University of South Africa Institute for Corporate Citizenship, Pretoria, South Africa

Prof Godwell Nhamo is  Chief Researcher at the University of South Africa. He is EXXARO Chair for Business and Climate Change

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Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series

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Published

2020-03-16

How to Cite

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DUBE, Kaitano and NHAMO, Godwell. Tourist perceptions and attitudes regarding the impacts of climate change on Victoria Falls. Bulletin of Geography. Socio-economic Series. Online. 16 March 2020. Vol. 47, no. 47, pp. 27-44. [Accessed 1 July 2025]. DOI 10.2478/bog-2020-0002.
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