3.3 the advantages and disadvantages of film tourism ......................... 44

232 Pages·2014·3.32 MB·English

PROMOTING SOUTH AFRICA AS AN INTERNATIONAL FILM TOURISM
DESTINATION

by

CARMEN LOEDOLFF
27091831

Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree
MCom in Tourism Management

in the

FACULTY OF ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

at the

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

Supervisor:
Mrs EA Kruger
Co-supervisor:
Prof F Fairer-Wessels

Date of submission
09-10-2014
FACULTY OF ECONOMIC AND
MANAGEMENT SCIENCES

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I (full names & surname): Carmen Loedolff
Student number: 27091831

Declare the following:
1. I understand what plagiarism entails and am aware of the University’s policy in this regard.
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given and reference was made according to departmental requirements.
3. I did not copy and paste any information directly from an electronic source (e.g., a web page,
electronic journal article or CD ROM) into this document.
4. I did not make use of another student’s previous work and submitted it as my own.
5. I did not allow and will not allow anyone to copy my work with the intention of presenting it as
his/her own work.

09 October 2014

Signature Date
ABSTRACT

Film tourism is fast becoming a recognised and lucrative sector within the tourism industry.
Film tourism combines knowledge from the tourism industry with that of the film industry in
such a manner that it offers an attractive opportunity that can be included when marketing
South Africa as a destination.

The purpose of the study is to explore the attractiveness of the film tourism market for
destinations, identify the unique aspects involved when marketing a destination though film
tourism, explore the marketing strategies used by the local South African DMOs and local
and foreign film commissions/offices in attracting international film producers, determine
what local South African DMOs and local and foreign film commissions/offices perceive as
important factors in attracting international film producers, determine and describe the
factors influencing international film producers’ selection of a location, determine
international film producers’ perceptions of South Africa as a film location in terms of these
factors, develop a model for promoting South Africa as an ideal film location to
international film producers and then relate the developed model to guidelines in
accordance with the services marketing mix (7 Ps).

The results obtained identified a number of factors that influence international film
producers’ selection of a location and the model can be used to assist DMOs in developing
effective marketing strategies in order to attract international film producers to South
Africa. This was a qualitative study where three data collection instruments were used on
four participant groups; secondary data was also analysed. It was found that South African
DMOs do not yet have a working relationship with the relevant film industry leaders; that
local film commissions’/offices’ current marketing activities are in line with foreign film
commissions’/offices’ marketing strategies; that local DMOs and local and foreign film
commissions/offices are more often than not aware of the factors influencing international
film producers’ selection of a location and that South Africa has a positive image as a film
destination.

This research contributes to tourism literature by developing a model and suggesting
guidelines that could be used by South African DMOs to attract more international film
producers to the country and thus ultimately increase the number of film tourists who visit.
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All South African DMOs should consider the suggested guidelines when developing a
marketing strategy for promoting South Africa as a preferred film destination to
international film producers.

KEYWORDS: Destination marketing, film producers, film tourism, model, guidelines,
service marketing, qualitative research

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to express my sincere appreciation to the following individuals for their contribution
towards the completion of this study:

• My supervisor, Mrs. Elizabeth A. Kruger, and co-supervisor, Prof Felicite Fairer-
Wessels, for all their inputs, advice and suggestions during the course of this study.
They provided guidance, but also gave me the freedom to do what I believed was
right.

• My parents, Gerhard and Juliet Loedolff, for their unbounded love and faith in me and
my ability to constantly better myself and for all that they have done to support me.
Without their faith and support I would never have come as far as I have.

• My fiancé, Rowan Poole, for his support, love and understanding. I look forward to
what life still has in store for us and all the adventures we will share.

• Ms. Mandy Engelbrecht for editing this dissertation and for doing it in record time.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT.. ........................................................................................................................ i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.. ................................................................................................ iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS.. .................................................................................................. ..v
APPENDICES.. ................................................................................................................ viii
LIST OF TABLES.. ............................................................................................................. ix
LIST OF FIGURES. ............................................................................................................. x

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY ........................................... 1
1.1 BACKGROUND ........................................................................................................... 1

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT ............................................................................................ 4
1.3 PURPOSE STATEMENT ............................................................................................ 4
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTION AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................. 5
1.5 ACADEMIC VALUE AND PRACTICAL CONTRIBUTION OF THE STUDY ................ 6
1.6 DELIMITATIONS AND ASSUMPTIONS ..................................................................... 6
1 .6.1 DELIMITATIONS ................................................................................................ 6
1.6.2 ASSUMPTIONS .................................................................................................. 7

1.7 RESEARCH DESIGN .................................................................................................. 8

1.8 DEFINITION OF KEY TERMS .................................................................................... 8
1.9 ORGANISATION OF CHAPTERS ............................................................................ 11
CH APTER 2: INTRODUCTION TO DESTINATION MARKETING ............... 13
2.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 13

2.2 THE ROLE OF DMOS ............................................................................................... 14
2 .2.1 PURPOSES AND OBJECTIVES OF DMOs ..................................................... 15
2.2.2 DMO ACTIVITIES ............................................................................................. 15

2.2.3 STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT AND COORDINATION ............................... 17

2.3 DESTINATION BRANDING AND IMAGE FORMATION ........................................... 18

2 .3.1 DESTINATION BRANDING .............................................................................. 19
2.3.2 DESTINATION IMAGE FORMATION ............................................................... 22

2.4 SERVICES MARKETING .......................................................................................... 28

2 .4.1 DIFFERENTIATING BETWEEN PRODUCTS AND SERVICES ....................... 28
2.4.2 THE 7 PS OF SERVICES MARKETING ........................................................... 30

2.5 PRODUCT PLACEMENT .......................................................................................... 35

2.6 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 37
CH APTER 3: FILM TOURISM WITHIN THE CONTEXT OF
DESTINATION MARKETING ....................................................................... 39
3.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 39

3.2 THE EFFECT OF FILMS ON DESTINATION IMAGE ............................................... 40
3.3 THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF FILM TOURISM ......................... 44
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3.3.1 ADVANTAGES FOR DESTINATION MARKETERS ......................................... 44
3.3.2 DISADVANTAGES FOR DESTINATION MARKETERS ................................... 46

3.3.3 BROADER ADVANTAGES OF FILM TOURISM .............................................. 48

3.3.4 BROADER DISADVANTAGES OF FILM TOURISM ........................................ 49

3.4 TOURISTS’ MOTIVATIONS BEHIND THEIR DECISION TO PARTAKE IN FILM

TOURISM .................................................................................................................. 51

3.5 INAUTHENTICITY ..................................................................................................... 56
3.6 DISPLACEMENT ...................................................................................................... 58
3.7 FILM TOURISM SUCCESS FACTORS .................................................................... 61
3 .7.1 THE USE OF MOVIE MAPS ............................................................................. 64
3.8 EVIDENCE OF SUCCESSFUL DESTINATION MARKETING THROUGH THE

USE OF FILMS ......................................................................................................... 64

3.9 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 67
CH APTER 4: THE FILM PRODUCTION PROCESS AND THE SOUTH
AFRICAN FILM INDUSTRY ......................................................................... 70
4.1 INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................................... 70

4.2 FILM PRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 71
4 .2.1 FILM PRODUCTION TERMS ........................................................................... 71
4.2.2 THE PRODUCTION PROCESS: WHERE DOES LOCATION SELECTION

FIT IN? .............................................................................................................. 72

4.2.3 THE ROLE OF LOCATION SCOUTS AND FACTORS INFLUENCING

LOCATION SELECTION .................................................................................. 73

4.2.4 A SUMMARY OF THE ASPECTS INVOLVED IN LOCATION SCOUTING ...... 76

4.3 THE SOUTH AFRICAN FILM INDUSTRY ................................................................. 78

4 .3.1 SOUTH AFRICA’S FILM HISTORY .................................................................. 79
4.3.2 WHAT SOUTH AFRICA IS CURRENTLY DOING TO PROMOTE ITSELF

TO INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCERS ...................................................... 86

4.4 CONCLUSION .......................................................................................................... 90

CH APTER 5: METHODOLOGY ................................................................... 93
5.1 RESEARCH PARADIGM/PHILOSOPHY .................................................................. 93

5.2 DESCRIPTION OF INQUIRY STRATEGY AND BROAD RESEARCH DESIGN ...... 93
5.3 SAMPLING ................................................................................................................ 95
5 .3.1 SAMPLING METHOD ....................................................................................... 95
5.3.2 UNITS OF ANALYSIS AND DATA SOURCES ................................................. 95

5.4 DATA COLLECTION ................................................................................................. 97

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5.4.1 HOW THE DATA WILL BE COLLECTED AND STORED ................................ 99
5.4.2 VERIFYING AND EVALUATING THE ACCURACY AND

COMPLETENESS OF THE DATA COLLECTED ............................................. 99

5.5 DATA ANALYSIS .................................................................................................... 100

5 .5.1 PREPARING THE DATA FOR ANALYSIS ..................................................... 100
5.5.2 ANALYSING THE DATA ................................................................................. 100

5.6 ASSESSING AND DEMONSTRATING THE QUALITY AND RIGOUR OF THE

RESEARCH DESIGN .............................................................................................. 101

5.6.1 SOURCES OF BIAS OR ERROR ................................................................... 101
5.6.2 PROVIDING EVIDENCE FOR THE QUALITY, CREDIBILITY AND

RIGOUR OF THE RESEARCH ....................................................................... 102

5.7 RESEARCH ETHICS .............................................................................................. 102

CH APTER 6: RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS ........................................... 104
6.1 INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................... 104

6.2 MARKETING STRATEGIES USED BY THE LOCAL DMOS AND LOCAL AND
FOREIGN FILM COMMISSIONS/OFFICES TO ATTRACT INTERNATIONAL

FILM PRODUCERS ................................................................................................ 104
6.2.1 LOCAL DMOs ................................................................................................. 105
6.2.2 LOCAL FILM COMMISSIONS/OFFICES ........................................................ 108

6.2.3 FOREIGN FILM COMMISSIONS/OFFICES ................................................... 113

6.2.4 CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................. 117

6.3 WHAT LOCAL DMOS AND LOCAL AND FOREIGN FILM

COMMISSIONS/OFFICES PERCEIVE AS IMPORTANT FACTORS IN

ATTRACTING INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCERS ........................................... 118
6.3.1 LOCAL DMOs ................................................................................................. 119
6.3.2 LOCAL FILM COMMISSIONS/OFFICES ........................................................ 124

6.3.3 FOREIGN FILM COMMISSIONS/OFFICES ................................................... 128

6.3.4 CONCLUSIONS .............................................................................................. 132

6.4 THE FACTORS INFLUENCING INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCERS’

SELECTION OF A LOCATION ............................................................................... 133

6.5 INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF SOUTH AFRICA
AS A FILM LOCATION ............................................................................................ 135

6.6 WEBSITES ANALYSES .......................................................................................... 138
6 .6.1 DMO WEBSITES ............................................................................................ 138
6.6.2 FILM COMMISSIONS’\OFFICES’ WEBSITES ............................................... 141

CHAPT ER 7: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .................... 147

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7.1 MAIN FINDINGS FROM THE INTERVIEWS .......................................................... 148
7 .1.1 MARKETING STRATEGIES USED BY THE LOCAL DMOS AND LOCAL
AND FOREIGN FILM COMMISSIONS/OFFICES IN ATTRACTING

INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCERS .......................................................... 148
7.1.2 WHAT LOCAL DMOs AND LOCAL AND FOREIGN FILM

COMMISSIONS/OFFICES PERCEIVE AS IMPORTANT FACTORS IN

ATTRACTING INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCERS .................................. 149
7.1.3 THE FACTORS INFLUENCING INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCERS’

SELECTION OF A LOCATION ....................................................................... 152

7.1.4 INTERNATIONAL FILM PRODUCERS’ PERCEPTIONS OF SOUTH

AFRICA AS A FILM LOCATION ..................................................................... 153

7.2 MAIN FINDINGS FROM THE WEBSITE ANALYSIS .............................................. 153

7 .2.1 DMO WEBSITES ............................................................................................ 153
7.2.2 FILM COMMISSIONS’/OFFICES’ WEBSITES ............................................... 154

7.3 A MODEL FOR DMOS TO MARKET SOUTH AFRICA AS A PREFERRED

FILM LOCATION ..................................................................................................... 154

7.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ............................................................................... 159
7.5 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FUTURE RESEARCH .............................................. 159
CH APTER 8: LIST OF REFERENCES ...................................................... 160

APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: Data collection instrument for location scouts... .................................. ...181
APPENDIX B: Informed consent form for location scouts ........................... . …….……..186
APPENDIX C: Data collection instrument for local DMOs ........................................... ...188
APPENDIX D: Informed consent form for local DMOs ............................................ …...194
APPENDIX E: Data collection instrument for local film commissions .................... ….....196
APPENDIX F: Informed consent form for local film commissions ………….……………200
APPENDIX G: Email introduction to location scouts.. ............................................. …...202
APPENDIX H: Selection of films shot in South Africa (1916-2013)……………..……..…204
APPENDIX I: Example of an interview transcript……………………………………….... 210
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