The Business of Whitewater Rafting in South Africa

Abstract

This study undertook to chart the spatial footprint and size of South Africa’s white water rafting industry. It was found that distribution of the 49 white water rafting operators is geographically uneven, with the majority located in the Western Cape and the Free State. There was a significant dearth of operators in Mpumalanga, the Eastern Cape and Limpopo. The presence of raftable rivers influences operator numbers, as does proximity to source markets. Most rafting businesses were well established and owner operated, who are a mix of local lifestyle and classic entrepreneurs. Overall the industry is well established, worth between R50 and R100 million and estimated to add R320 million to the South African economy per year. The majority of the approximately 539 direct employees are locals, who, due to the highly seasonal nature of industry, are mostly part-timers. The industry is skills intensive, with employees holding a range of technical and ‘soft’ skills. Finding suitably skilled staff, especially women and Black staff, was reported as being a serious challenge, as was dealing with the local administrator, the African Paddlers Association. The industry is dependent on domestic demand. Selling a rafting trip requires the operator convince tourists that it is safe. Price competition is stiff. In particular, the more heavily traded the river and the lower the grading of the rapids, the lower the price. The study found that some rivers may be overtraded and some operators financially marginal.

Keywords

• white water rafting
• adventure tourism
• entrepreneurship
• South Africa