Cultural Heritage Tourism Potential at Six former American Board Mission Stations.

Abstract

This initial assessment of the cultural heritage tourism potential is a component of a broader project aimed at conducting research and revitalizing selected former American Zulu Mission Stations in southern parts of KwaZulu-Natal. Whilst the Heritage, Tourism and Community Development Project is being considered by a range of stakeholders including local communities at the localities where the six mission stations are located, the University of KwaZulu-Natal is charged with leading the research component of the project. The purpose of research in this project is to 'lay bare' the indelible print on the cultural and heritage landscape left behind by the missionaries in this region of South Africa. A principal component of the project is to encourage community development through promotion of religious heritage tourism in order to stimulate local tourism-based production and services such as crafts, hospitality accommodation and cultural/educational events in the Mission Stations. Therefore, the purpose of this part of the research is to present an initial scan of the heritage tourism potential of the six mission stations.