Exploring obstacles towards tourism growth for poverty alleviation and job creation in Alexandra Township, Johannesburg

Alexandra Township is one of the most populated and poorest townships in Johannesburg. It is surrounded by the country’s most affluent and prosperous suburbs such as Wendywood, Kelvin, and Sandton. Unlike the Soweto Township, which emerged as a well-known township destination in postapartheid South Africa, township tourism is a recent phenomenon in Alexandra. Government only recognized the Alexandra’s tourism potential in early 2000. The South African government has invested in Alexandra township which has witnessed major improvements, including the development of new infrastructure, shopping centre, recreational parks, a casino, theatres, heritage sites, bed and breakfast facilities, the growth of small businesses and improved environmental awareness and culturally-related activities, to name a few. As township tourism is a growing focus of government as an economic growth strategy and tool for development, Alexandra is becoming a tourism destination in its own right. However, the township is still faced with tourism growth challenges as township residents are not able to fully exploit and benefit from its tourism potential. Through empirical work and semi-structured interviews conducted with residents, government and civil society generally, this paper sheds light into challenges facing tourism growth in Alexandra. Results indicate that there is growing concern that tourism-related developments are occurring at a very slow pace. Unfortunately, since democracy the township continues to remain underdeveloped, with its tourism industry limited. Alexandra exhibits high crime rates, lack of understanding and knowledge for tourism, slow growth of tourism businesses, lack of government support and lack of tourism facilities and activities