Youth Entrepreneurship and Employment through Tourism: A Case Study of the Durban Tourism Expo and Indaba.

Abstract

The study examines the roles of the annual Durban Tourism Careers Expo and the Tourism Indaba in creating job opportunities for youths and developing entrepreneurial minds of emerging entrepreneurs. Informed by the Social Capital Theory of Career Success, the study explores how social structures create value and facilitate the actions of youths within the tourism industry for career opportunities and success. We employed a qualitative study with a purposively selected sample of 16 participants. Findings of the study show that the events create jobs for youths through internships and learnerships. In addition, they give youths exposure in the industry and encourage them to start their own businesses. Seasonal employment, limited township/community-based tourism and lack of start-up capital were challenges identified. We recommend further research concerning the dynamics of seasonal employment in the tourism industry as well as the extent to which township/community-based tourism is practised and its potential entrepreneurial opportunities for youths.

Keywords

• Employment
• Entrepreneurship
• Youths
• Network
• Social Capital
• Tourism