According to an article published on Calabash Tours, cultural tourism is tourism concerned with a country or a region’s culture, specifically the lifestyle of the people in those areas, their history, art, architecture, religion and other elements that helped shape their way of life. The article states that according to South African Tourism (SAT), 64% of SA’s domestic market is interested in exploring the culture of the country. Thus, cultural tourism has the potential to attract more than half of the domestic market, not even to mention the international market.
Where can tourists (domestic or foreign) go to experience cultures of South Africa? There are a number of cultural villages in SA which tourists can choose from, namely, Lesedi cultural village in Gauteng, Shangana cultural village in Mpumalanga, Simunye Zulu Lodge in Kwazulu-Natal, Basotho cultural village in the Free State and many more. These villages depict the cultures, traditions, languages, customs and lifestyles of one or more ethnic group in SA.
Lesedi cultural village, for example, depicts the cultures of five ethnic groups: the Ndebele, Zulu, Basotho, Xhosa and Pedi. The village has a few traditional huts and the people of each tribe are dressed in their traditional clothing. A visit to the village include, among others, a multimedia presentation on the history of South Africa’s rainbow nation, a guided tour to each of the ethnic groups where visitors can learn more about each culture. Furthermore, visitors can experience traditional dance entertainment and enjoy a Pan African buffet in the restaurant.
The cultural villages in SA, like Lesedi, have the potential to provide visitors with the opportunity to experience the rainbow nation without having to travel through the whole country. Forget the usual beach excursions and sightseeing for a while, and enjoy the cultures of South Africa!
