Stakeholders’ perceptions of the impacts of an outdoor and wine festival in the Breede Valley of the Western Cape Province

Abstract

The Breede Valley region is located in the Cape Winelands District near Cape Town and has been identified as a wine region with vast diversity and distinctiveness. The lack of research in the field of wine and events in the area gave rise to this study. The event industry in this region is relatively unexploited but in recent years has been revealed to be a major catalyst for tourism and economic development. However, for events to act as a catalyst for tourism and economic development, it is important to have an understanding of stakeholders‟ perceptions of the impacts of these events. The research therefore focuses on stakeholders‟ perceptions of the impacts of the Breedekloof Outdoor and Wine Festival (BOWF) hosted in the Breedekloof region in the Breede Valley of the Western Cape Province. Underpinning this study was the understanding that the perceived impacts of the event are pivotal for the future planning, management and sustainability of the event as well as to minimise negative and maximise positive impacts of the BOWF. The study applied a mixed-methods approach, compiling data through survey questionnaires targeting 341 event attendees, 374 residents, 28 established businesses, 8 sponsors and 15 venue owners. Key informant interviews with the event organiser and direct observations with event attendees and residents were used as methods to collect data, using several sampling methods. A spatially based systematic sampling approach was used for the event attendees and residents‟ surveys, purposive sampling for the event organiser, venue owners and sponsors, while census sampling was used for the established businesses. For the purpose of the study, 767 respondents were targeted; only 730 responded. The results demonstrate support of the event among residents from Rawsonville as they perceive the event as beneficial to local businesses in the region. It displays the town and its beauty and does not cause any inconvenience to local lifestyles. However, there were mixed views on inequalities relating to employment opportunities and involvement in the planning and management of the event. Most established businesses, on the other hand, were also not directly involved in the Festival; even though there were opportunities for businesses to optimise profits and engender publicity, most did not use this opportunity to their advantage. The event attendees at the Festival were mostly from the Western Cape, attending the Festival in groups of friends with the large majority spending/planning to spend money at the Festival.