The potential use of military tourism assets for sustainable economic development

Abstract

The South African National Defence Force (SANDF) is grappling with the maintenance of its assets and facilities due to financial constraints. Accordingly, this paper seeks to explore ways in which the management of military tourism assets and sites in the Western Cape Province of South Africa could be optimised to ensure their sustainability and contribute to the promotion of the local and regional economy. Focus group interviews were conducted with 25 key role players in the tourism industry, military experts, and academics. In addition, a selfadministered semi-structured questionnaire was completed by 223 conveniently selected tourists at various military tourism sites. From a pragmatic perspective, the findings of this research could elucidate the ways in which military tourism assets can be maintained in a sustainable manner. Additionally, the findings may have implications for the broader process of globalisation, highlighting the potential role that military tourism can play in shaping global economic relationships.