PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIBS AND NATURE TOURISM: A SOUTH AFRICA CASE STUDY

Abstract

Almost seven percent of the total population of South Africa are disabled, according to
Statistics South Africa. Of this group, 21% are physically disabled. A lack of recreational
opportunities is listed as one of the major sources of stress for this group. The accessibility of
parks and reserves in the Limpopo Province for wheelchair-bound people is investigated in
this case study. The province has a rich natural heritage as well as an abundance of wilderness
areas, and although ecotourism already plays an important role in the economic development
of the province, it is still under-utilised. Given the absence of rain and the moderate
temperature in winter, the Limpopo Province is one of the most suitable in South Africa for
outdoor recreational activities during the winter months. To evaluate parks and reserves in the
province in terms of their accessibility to people with disabilities, especially those confined to
wheelchairs, a model was developed with a set of criteria against which tourism venues could
be tested. Values ranging from 3 for full accessibility to O for total inaccessibility were
allocated and used to evaluate the parks and reserves in the study area. An average value was
calculated for each venue. These averages were finally tested against the accessibility index to
determine the extent to which the park or reserve is accessible to people with disabilities.