'Lodge-ical' thinking and development communication : !Xaus Lodge as a public-private community partnership in tourism.
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Date
2011
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Abstract
This thesis explores the interface between community development via tourism and the field of
development communication vis-à-vis a case study of the community-owned and privatelyoperated
!Xaus Lodge in the Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park. The research is informed by
Critical Indigenous Qualitative Research that employs interpretive research practices that aim
to be ethical, transformative, participatory and committed to dialogue. The study valorises the
voices of all lodge stakeholders analysing their expectations and how they negotiate the
processes involved in the establishment and operations of the lodge. As a longitudinal study
from 2006 until 2011 it focuses on the processes involved in transforming a failed poverty
alleviation-built tourism asset into a commercial product with a range of benefits for the
community partners. The processes involved are studied and shaped via participatory action
research. This thesis generates a generalised public-private-community lodge partnership
development communication model based on the findings of the !Xaus Lodge case study. The
analysis of !Xaus Lodge is guided by development communication principles and practice such
as the Communication for Participatory Development (CFPD) model, as well as the notion of
pro-poor tourism (PPT). The applicability of these policies, approaches and models is
problematised highlighting the complexity of development on the ground, particularly with
indigenous and local communities. This study sets out the importance of cultural relativity in
development projects whereby possible differences in the stakeholders‟ history, epistemology
and ontology should be taken into consideration if a project is to negotiate both the demands of
commercial viability as well as the symbolic and spiritual needs of the community partners.
Description
Thesis (Ph.D.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, 2011.
Keywords
Community development--Northern Cape., Culture and tourism--Northern Cape., Heritage tourism--Northern Cape., Safari lodges--Northern Cape., San (African people)--Northern Cape., Khomani (African people)--Northern Cape., Theses--Culture, communication and media studies.