Adapting to disruption: tourism Resilience in Greenpoint

Abstract

This study investigates the resilience of the Green Point urban tourism precinct in Cape Town, South Africa, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective was to understand how local tourism businesses, stakeholders, and visitors absorbed, adapted, and initiated transformative responses to the unprecedented disruption. A quantitative cross-sectional survey was conducted with 219 residents and visitors, combining closed- and open-ended questions to capture both measurable patterns and contextual insights. Descriptive statistics and thematic analysis were employed to analyse travel behaviour, financial impacts, accommodation preferences, and recovery strategies. Key findings reveal that vaccination status significantly influenced travel intentions, while 83% of respondents reported decreased income affecting tourism participation. Preferences shifted strongly towards domestic travel, with hotels remaining the most popular accommodation, and recovery strategies emphasised domestic tourism promotion, discounted packages, and health measures. These results highlight a high degree of adaptability but limited long-term transformability within the precinct. The study implies that combining short-term recovery measures with strategic long-term planning, including stakeholder collaboration and market diversification, can strengthen precinct resilience. This research contributes unique precinct-level empirical insights from the Global South, offering practical guidance for urban tourism management and policy interventions to enhance sustainability and crisis preparedness in similar destinations.