Tourism honours students experience Africa in one day

Posted on December 17, 2024

From the only Big Five game reserve in Gauteng to the place where the world’s largest gem-quality rough diamond was found, the Dinokeng region offers far more than one would expect from a tourism destination merely 50 minutes’ drive from Pretoria.
 
UP Tourism Management honours students from the Department of Marketing Management were privileged to visit this local tourism destination in the City of Tshwane from 7 to 11 October 2024 as part of their annual industry research projects. The region is situated on the northern Gauteng-Limpopo border, between the N1 and N4. It is one of the key priorities of the Gauteng Department of Economic Development and consists of four hubs, namely Dinokeng Game Reserve, Dinokeng Central, Roodeplaat Dam and Cullinan.
 
The week was filled with a diverse range of tourist activities sponsored by various industry partners, and it became evident that the region has a wealth of potential tourism offerings that could be earmarked for further development.  


A warm welcome received at Kwalata Game Lodge: The student group with Prof Allesandro Inversini, a visiting scholar from EHL Hospitality Business School in Lausanne (far left); Prof Elizabeth du Preez – lecturer (2nd from right in front); and Prof Felix Bello – lecturer (far right in front). 

After arriving safe and sound at the accommodation, Kwalata Game Lodge, the friendly host Charl Pretorius, CEO, briefed the students on the establishment’s operations within the larger Dinokeng Game Reserve. The students obtained information on the various community engagement initiatives of both Kwalata and the wider Dinokeng Game Reserve, as well as wildlife conservation within the reserve. Students were then taken on a sunset game drive – a first for the majority of the students, after which they had lunch around a bonfire.


Clockwise from left: 1. John Mabotja Community Liaison Officer of Dinokeng Game Reserve, briefing the students on community engagement initiatives
2. The hunt for the Big 5
3. True African hospitality around a bonfire. On the photo: Charl Pretorius, CEO of Kwalata Game Lodge (left back); Marius Fuls, Wildlife Monitor of Dinokeng Game Reserve (right back); Prof Elizabeth du Preez, lecturer (right middle); and Danolien van den Berg, Kwalata Community Development Initiatives (right front)
4. Venturing into the bush to find the cheetah
 
The following morning, students started the day bright and early with a cheetah bush walk, following a collared female and her cubs. Even though the animals moved too fast, everybody was taken by the thrill of the chase. After breakfast, they stopped at Kwalata Adventure Camp, which hosts youth leadership and environmental education programmes. 
 
In the afternoon the group visited Hammanskraal and stopped at a number of facilities within the community. These included Dinokasi Bees and Honey, Dinokasi Crafters, TLC Old Age Home, and Giants Gym. That evening they enjoyed dinner at a local restaurant and took part in traditional dancing. These smaller-scale initiatives, if creatively designed and maintained, stand to benefit from a mutually beneficial relationship with tourism stakeholders. While they benefit from income generation through tourism, they simultaneously serve as offerings that collectively contribute to authentic tourism experiences.


Clockwise from left: 1. Appreciating local creativity at Dinokasi. On the photo with the travel group is the guide for the day, Sam Musehane of Kwalata (far left), and Tebobo Motena, a beekeeper and artist (far right)
2. The group assisting to offload bricks at TLC Old Age Home, where the next improvements include a guard house
3. The group was pleasantly surprised to find this entrepreneurial champion who started his own gym, Giants Gym, by collecting a wide range of second-hand equipment
4. Cultural dancing is a popular tourist attraction. Groups such as these keep youth off the streets and help maintain local culture and traditions
 
Having experienced the wildlife and cultural richness of Dinokeng’s western border, the group hit the road to Cullinan in the east. After peeking “behind the scenes” of a few other lodges (Tshikwalo, Mongena and Ritsako) and stopping for lunch at Arlington Brewery, the group exited the reserve. Upon arrival at the four-star Cullinan Diamond Lodge, energy levels were boosted with a fun, interactive drumming session.
 
The following morning, students engaged with Gordon Webb, Chairperson of the Cullinan Tourism Association, who briefed them on Cullinan’s product offering and future development as part of the Dinokeng Master Plan, executed by Dinokeng Projects division within the Gauteng Department of Economic Development.


On the photo with the student group: Prof Felix Bello, lecturer (front far left); Pinky Masemola, Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and Dinokeng Projects (front 2nd from left); Boitshoko Mosiane, Assistant Director: Marketing and PR, Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and Dinokeng Projects (front 5th from left); Gordon Webb, Chairperson, Cullinan Tourism Association (back 6th from left); Prof Anneli Douglas, lecturer (front 2nd from right); and Prof Elizabeth du Preez, lecturer (front far right)

Next up was a ground tour of the world-famous Cullinan Mine, history room and McHardy House. As if this was not enough, the students then spent the afternoon on probably the most exhilarating activity of the tour – a 1,5 km zipline crossing over the Muningi Gorge at Cullinan Adventure Zone.
 
Following an action-packed itinerary, the students ended the week off at a much slower pace to appreciate the historical Willem Prinsloo Agricultural Museum and Sammy Marks Museum on the route back to Pretoria.


Clockwise from left: 1. Cullinan Mine history room, a well-maintained and informative collection of historical and modern artefacts showcasing the local diamond digging journey.
2. Viewing the impressive Cullinan Big Hole. This man-made pit is four times larger than the big hole in Kimberley.
3. The original 1880 dwelling on the Willem Prinsloo historical farm.
4. The spectacular Sammy Marks Museum, filled with opulence and artefacts in pristine condition.
 
The honours students left Dinokeng with a new appreciation of the complex dynamics at play in a tourism destination. As an outcome of the visit, students had to evaluate the extent to which all of these offerings align with current global trends in experience design. As part of their final exam, they had to write a full report on the sustainability of tourism development in the area, with a focus on local community involvement in tourism and biodiversity conservation. They also had to make novel proposals for new tourism experiences or marketing strategies to elevate the competitiveness of the region. Their creativity was applauded and included ideas such as a youth travel route, a gamified travel app, an influencer challenge for social media content creation, a fundraising event for a community hall, and an LGBTQ festival in Pride Month.  
 
Finally, the culmination of field trip experiences into academically sound exam proposals and presentations. On the photo (from left): Gordon Webb, Chairperson of the Cullinan Tourism Association; Ariska Reynders Schoombee, Director of Cullinan Tourism and History; Dr Siyabulela Nyikana, senior lecturer in the School of Tourism and Hospitality at the University of Johannesburg; Prof Elizabeth du Preez, lecturer; Boitshoko Mosiane, AD of Marketing and PR at the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage Site and Dinokeng Projects; Louw Allan, Treasurer of the Cullinan Tourism Association; Solani Mthethwa, board member ofDinokeng Tourism; and Hulisani Thabela, Director of Business Tourism for Tshwane Tourism (COT).
 
As the group can attest with great certainty – the City of Tshwane has many unique, memorable places to discover.
 
Let’s get going and #TravelWiseMzansi #ItsMySouthAfrica #youthtravel
 
Thank you to all the stakeholders involved!
 
 

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