A thematic analysis of newspaper articles on xenophobia and tourism in South Africa

Abstract

The goal of the study was to analyse the themes of newspaper articles on xenophobia and tourism in South Africa. A thematic analysis was conducted to achieve this goal. The study found that a lack of service delivery is a source of criminal acts such as xenophobia. The study revealed that criminal acts of this nature have a negative impact of the tourism industry, with xenophobia having the potential to damage the image of South Africa as a tourist and investment destination. In addition, xenophobia could lead to retaliatory attacks on South Africans abroad, as well as leading to the isolation of South Africa from the rest of Africa and the world. The study hopes to empower governments in general and the South African government in particular to craft good strategies to prevent xenophobia.

Keywords: Xenophobia, tourism, crime, safety, migration, social cohesion, poverty