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Reimagining the tourists? customer journey post-COVID-19: a case study of two world heritages sites ? Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain
This study investigated the customer journeys of two strategically significant World Heritage Sites (WHS): Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain, which represent WHS in developing countries, and a cultural and natural WHS. Research is scarce among WHS in developing countries, and more so comparing...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
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School of Management Studies
2026
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| _version_ | 1869483674181828608 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Khangala, Shonisani David |
| author2 | Dlamini, Siphiwe |
| author_browse | Dlamini, Siphiwe Khangala, Shonisani David |
| author_facet | Dlamini, Siphiwe Khangala, Shonisani David |
| author_sort | Khangala, Shonisani David |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | This study investigated the customer journeys of two strategically significant World Heritage Sites (WHS): Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain, which represent WHS in developing countries, and a cultural and natural WHS. Research is scarce among WHS in developing countries, and more so comparing different WHS types. Grounded in the Experience Economy Theory and incorporating the Service Dominant Logic (SDL) theory, the study harnesses perspectives from tourists, frontline employees, and management to fill significant gaps within the post-pandemic WHS context. It explores the influence of WHS status awareness, perceived Covid-19 risks, and the four realms of the Experience Economy Theory (Education, Entertainment, Escapism, and Esthetic) on customer experience, Self-Brand Concept, Customer Engagement, Satisfaction, and Loyalty. Furthermore, the study compares experience perceptions and WHS awareness among local and international visitors. The study used mixed methodologies to collect data from 600 tourists (300 at each WHS), and data were analysed using IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). The qualitative data, collected from 38 respondents comprising WHS management, frontline staff, and tourists through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, was analysed using MAXQDA (MAXimising Qualitative Data Analysis). The findings revealed low WHS awareness at both sites, varied perceptions of Covid-19 risks and perceptions of the four experience realms. The study challenges the notion that WHS status awareness alone enhances the customer experience. Additionally, significant experience perception and WHS awareness differences were noted between local and international tourists, highlighting the need to explore distinct strategies for each group. By comparing a cultural and a natural WHS, the study revealed nuanced differences in visitor engagement, highlighting the need for typology-sensitive strategies to enhance customer journeys. The findings advance scholars' and practitioners' understanding of WHS post-COVID-19 recovery by developing a post-COVID-19 framework for reimaging customer journeys at World Heritage Sites in developing countries. The study's insights can help WHS managers, authorities, and the tourism business develop targeted strategies for post-pandemic tourism experiences. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/43401 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | English eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-07-01T04:02:45.007Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | School of Management Studies |
| publisherStr | School of Management Studies |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/43401 Reimagining the tourists? customer journey post-COVID-19: a case study of two world heritages sites ? Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain Khangala, Shonisani David Dlamini, Siphiwe Table Mountain Covid-19 Robben Island Museum This study investigated the customer journeys of two strategically significant World Heritage Sites (WHS): Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain, which represent WHS in developing countries, and a cultural and natural WHS. Research is scarce among WHS in developing countries, and more so comparing different WHS types. Grounded in the Experience Economy Theory and incorporating the Service Dominant Logic (SDL) theory, the study harnesses perspectives from tourists, frontline employees, and management to fill significant gaps within the post-pandemic WHS context. It explores the influence of WHS status awareness, perceived Covid-19 risks, and the four realms of the Experience Economy Theory (Education, Entertainment, Escapism, and Esthetic) on customer experience, Self-Brand Concept, Customer Engagement, Satisfaction, and Loyalty. Furthermore, the study compares experience perceptions and WHS awareness among local and international visitors. The study used mixed methodologies to collect data from 600 tourists (300 at each WHS), and data were analysed using IBM SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). The qualitative data, collected from 38 respondents comprising WHS management, frontline staff, and tourists through participant observation, semi-structured interviews, and focus groups, was analysed using MAXQDA (MAXimising Qualitative Data Analysis). The findings revealed low WHS awareness at both sites, varied perceptions of Covid-19 risks and perceptions of the four experience realms. The study challenges the notion that WHS status awareness alone enhances the customer experience. Additionally, significant experience perception and WHS awareness differences were noted between local and international tourists, highlighting the need to explore distinct strategies for each group. By comparing a cultural and a natural WHS, the study revealed nuanced differences in visitor engagement, highlighting the need for typology-sensitive strategies to enhance customer journeys. The findings advance scholars' and practitioners' understanding of WHS post-COVID-19 recovery by developing a post-COVID-19 framework for reimaging customer journeys at World Heritage Sites in developing countries. The study's insights can help WHS managers, authorities, and the tourism business develop targeted strategies for post-pandemic tourism experiences. 2026-06-26T09:24:49Z 2026-06-26T09:24:49Z 2026 2026-06-26T09:20:28Z Thesis / Dissertation Doctoral PhD http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43401 en eng application/pdf School of Management Studies Faculty of Commerce University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Table Mountain Covid-19 Robben Island Museum Khangala, Shonisani David Reimagining the tourists? customer journey post-COVID-19: a case study of two world heritages sites ? Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain |
| thesis_degree_str | Doctoral |
| title | Reimagining the tourists? customer journey post-COVID-19: a case study of two world heritages sites ? Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain |
| title_full | Reimagining the tourists? customer journey post-COVID-19: a case study of two world heritages sites ? Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain |
| title_fullStr | Reimagining the tourists? customer journey post-COVID-19: a case study of two world heritages sites ? Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reimagining the tourists? customer journey post-COVID-19: a case study of two world heritages sites ? Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain |
| title_short | Reimagining the tourists? customer journey post-COVID-19: a case study of two world heritages sites ? Robben Island Museum and Table Mountain |
| title_sort | reimagining the tourists customer journey post covid 19 a case study of two world heritages sites robben island museum and table mountain |
| topic | Table Mountain Covid-19 Robben Island Museum |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/43401 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT khangalashonisanidavid reimaginingthetouristscustomerjourneypostcovid19acasestudyoftwoworldheritagessitesrobbenislandmuseumandtablemountain |