Evaluating the impact of tourism in achieving city status: a case study of Thulamela Local Municipality Vision 2030

Abstract

The study examines the role of tourism in the achievement of city status in Thulamela Local Government (TLG). Thulamela is located in the northern part of Limpopo province in South Africa and has set a target of achieving city status by 2030 in accordance with its Integrated Development Plan. Tourism can be a driving force in achieving this status and in the development of the municipality. The methodological basis of the study is provided by interviews with Thulamela local government officials, and the research aims to examine the links between tourism development strategies and the municipality’s urban development outcomes, focusing on how these strategies can be optimized to support the municipality’s efforts to achieve city status. The results show that Thulamela has tourism potential to support its efforts to achieve city status. However, this potential is currently limited by systemic shortcomings in implementation, infrastructural gaps, and insufficient stakeholder collaboration. Therefore, to transform from a tourism-rich region into a city, Thulamela needs to incorporate tourism development into its urban planning framework.