The South Coast Tourism and Investment Enterprise in KwaZulu-Natal is expanding with a new rural tourism route, The Emalangeni Experience.in Umdoni aims to offer visitors a more authentic experience of the region through cultural engagements. At the same time, it will support local entrepreneurs and assist in local job creation. The new tourism route means expanding the KwaZulu-Natal tourism economy and industry into the region’s rural areas.
“a type of tourism activity in which the visitor’s experience is related to a wide range of products generally linked to nature-based activities, agriculture, rural lifestyle/culture, and sightseeing. Rural tourism activities take place in non-urban areas with the following characteristics: i) low population density, ii) landscape and land-use dominated by agriculture and forestry and iii) traditional social structure and lifestyle”.
“This enables inclusive tourism that grows the tourism footprint, benefiting local communities and visitors. Local communities benefit from job creation, and access to the local tourism economy, while visitors enjoy authentic rural experiences, engaging with local communities, experiencing local culture and exploring the beautiful hinterland of the South Coast”.living in rural areas do not benefit from tourism.
The South Coast region of KwaZulu-Natal is adamant to not let this happen to their rural communities. Through rural tourism, outlying communities are included in the mainstream economies, tourists are afforded more authentic, nature-based experiences, and conservation becomes a central principle.