Tourism seasonality and destination management implications for Mana Pools tourist destination in Zimbabwe.

Abstract

This study investigated tourism seasonality and its corresponding management implications for Mana Pools tourist destination. Seasonality represents one of the key challenging characteristics of the tourism industry. This study explored seasonality drivers, impacts on destination performance and the management strategies that have been adopted to alleviate the problems of extreme seasonality. Mana Pools is a peripheral ecotourism destination and protected area in Zimbabwe. The study was largely qualitative in nature targeting participants from both the supply and the demand side. Data analysis exploited the thematic approach. Research findings indicate that tourism seasonality leads to reduced tourist and revenue flows to a destination. Low revenue returns affect the park’s long-term sustainability as conservation of natural systems directly depends on availability of financial resources. This was evidenced by stifled conservation programmes, skills flight and dwindling infrastructure in the destination. To curb the severity of seasonality, there is need to improve off season accessibility of the park and to adopt destination yield management strategies during the peak season. Given the element of predictability connected with seasonality, managers at destinations such as Mana Pools should anticipate the various negative impacts and put into action stratagems to adjust to possible negative effects.

Keywords

• tourism seasonality
• ecotourism destination
• peak season
• off season
• destination performance
• Mana Pools