The case study focuses on the Comrades Marathon which is an internationally recognized ultra-marathon of 96km run between Pietermaritzburg and Durban. Apart from background information to the event, the following positive and negative impacts are discussed in detail: economical, socio-cultural, environmental and health. The case study highlights the importance of sport tourism and the benefits it has for the community.

The case study shows the amount of planning that goes into organizing an event of this magnitude and the sound relationship between the Comrades Marathon Association, the sponsors of the race, local government and the community at large. Reference is made to the importance of outreach campaigns sponsored by the Comrades Marathon. The role of road running and running clubs in promoting fitness and health is also discussed.

The case writers, through their research, have found the Comrades Marathon to be an integral part of the South African sporting calendar and one that benefits tourism immensely. They have made several recommendations as to how road running can be encouraged at schools and the talent of future athletes developed.

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Responsible Tourism Development in the Pilanesberg National Park

Pilanesberg National Park is located in the Bojanala region of South Africa’s North West Province about two hours from the country’s largest city, Johannesburg.

The Park ” forms the heart around which the development of the entire region is based,” note the students. “In this rural area here development options are very limited; it has significant beneficial impact on local and regional economies and greatly contributes towards the overall improvement in the quality of life of the largely disadvantaged rural communities and individuals.”

The students review the Park’s economic, social and environmental practices and make recommendations and provide a teacher’s guide and lesson plan that can be used by other schools in conducting a similar review for their communities.

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Matjiesfontein

The winners developed a case study which focused on Matjiesfontein, a tiny railway village in the middle of an arid region called the Karoo.

Matjiesfontein was established as a rest stop and watering station for trains passing through on their way to the diamond fields in Kimberly in the late 1800s.  It became a fashionable retreat and health spa where people came to take the dry desert air.  After the decline of the diamond rush, Matjiesfontein fell into disuse and disrepair until being bought by an entrepreneurial hotelier.  Matjiesfontein was restored to its former glory and a number of museums were established in the hamlet.

Nadia and Han Na visited Matjiesfontein to assess it as a site of historical preservation.  They discovered that there was a lack of signage, marketing and tourist information about the town.  They have made a number of recommendations on how this could be improved.

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“The wearing of blankets by the Basotho as part of daily life intrigues visitors to Lesotho and the surrounding Eastern Free State. It seems to be a form of westernisation but, with further probing, it unfolds as a sociocultural phenomenon with its own historical route. To the Basothos, besides the practical value of the blankets, there are definite social and symbolic values inherent in the blanket; That of national identification has become one of the most important, announcing: “I am a Mosotho”

The student traced the history of the blankets and their importance in the Basotho Culture and discovered that South Africa needs to be continuously developing new tourism products in order to attract visitors repeatedly to the country. There is no other nation that wears blankets with the same symbolic meaning as the Basotho, and therefore found this to be an excellent tourism product.  inherent in the blankets.

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“My stepfather, who was born in Cape Town, suggested that we visit the Cape. Reluctantly, my mother, brother and I agreed and we departed from Klerksdorp on a Friday afternoon in a fully loaded Toyota van. Little did I realize what a life- changing experience this would be”!

And she ended it off with

“This experience has changed my life. What started off as a trip to the Cape turned into an adventure that I would never forget”.

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