An exploratory investigation of visitor spending at an urban tourist attraction.

Abstract

The National Zoological Gardens is the largest and only nationally managed zoological garden (zoo) in South Africa. Situated in the Pretoria city centre, the zoo has considerable importance for the community and the region. In order to manage the sustainability of the National Zoological Gardens and ensure its future success, it is vital to understand the determinants of visitors’ spending. Tourism has been characterised as an economic driver of the 21st century due to the multiplier effect of tourist spending and linkages to other industries. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to analyse visitor spending at the National Zoological Gardens. Quantitative research was conducted by means of a self-administrated questionnaire, and a total of 443 (n) questionnaires were obtained during the research period. Analysis of Variance comparisons were used with Tukey’s multiple comparisons and t-tests to determine the relationships between demographic variables and spending patterns. Findings will assist the management of the National Zoological Gardens in planning and sustainability, creating additional means of increased spending within the zoo.

Keywords

• Urban tourism
• Visitor spending
• Zoological gardens
• visitor profiling
• ANOVA