UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
GGH2606: Tourism Geography
Assignment 02 | Semester 2, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
GGH2606
Module Code:
Tourism Geography
Module Name:
Classification of Tourism Resources and the
Essay Topic:
Impacts of Tourism: Cape Town
Assignment 02
Assignment Number:
14 September 2026
Due Date:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for GGH2606, UNISA 2026
, UNISA | GGH2606 Tourism Resources & Impacts: Cape Town
Part 1: Classification of Tourism Resources in Cape Town
Tourism development in any destination depends on an underlying resource base, and plan-
ners have long needed a systematic way of thinking about how different resources contribute
to that base. Cape Town, as one of South Africa’s leading destinations, offers a useful case for
applying such a system because its attractions range from purpose-built urban precincts to re-
mote natural landscapes.
1.1 The Theory Behind the Clawson and Knetsch Classification System
The classification system developed by Clawson and Knetsch (1966) remains one of the most
widely used frameworks in recreation and tourism planning for organising resources according
to their location, degree of naturalness, and relationship to the market they serve. Rather than
describing resources individually, the system groups them into broad categories that share sim-
ilar planning and management characteristics, which allows planners to compare very different
attractions, from a city park to a wilderness area, on a common analytical footing.
Purpose of the classification system
The central purpose of classifying tourism resources in this way is to support effective plan-
ning, management and marketing by clarifying how a resource relates to its users and its set-
ting. Wilson and Steyn (1996) argue that classification procedures allow planners to move
from an ad hoc inventory of attractions toward an analytical tool that identifies gaps in provi-
sion, matches resources to visitor needs, and guides investment decisions. Applied to tourism
specifically, the Clawson and Knetsch framework helps a destination such as Cape Town to
recognise, for example, that a beachfront shopping precinct requires different infrastructure,
staffing and marketing from a remote nature reserve, even though both appear on the same re-
gional attractions list. The system therefore functions as a diagnostic device: once a resource
is classified, its likely catchment area, travel distance tolerated by visitors, seasonality, and vul-
nerability to overuse can be anticipated with more confidence, which in turn informs zoning,
carrying-capacity decisions and product development.
Page 2 of 8
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
GGH2606: Tourism Geography
Assignment 02 | Semester 2, 2026
⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄ ⋄⋄
GGH2606
Module Code:
Tourism Geography
Module Name:
Classification of Tourism Resources and the
Essay Topic:
Impacts of Tourism: Cape Town
Assignment 02
Assignment Number:
14 September 2026
Due Date:
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for GGH2606, UNISA 2026
, UNISA | GGH2606 Tourism Resources & Impacts: Cape Town
Part 1: Classification of Tourism Resources in Cape Town
Tourism development in any destination depends on an underlying resource base, and plan-
ners have long needed a systematic way of thinking about how different resources contribute
to that base. Cape Town, as one of South Africa’s leading destinations, offers a useful case for
applying such a system because its attractions range from purpose-built urban precincts to re-
mote natural landscapes.
1.1 The Theory Behind the Clawson and Knetsch Classification System
The classification system developed by Clawson and Knetsch (1966) remains one of the most
widely used frameworks in recreation and tourism planning for organising resources according
to their location, degree of naturalness, and relationship to the market they serve. Rather than
describing resources individually, the system groups them into broad categories that share sim-
ilar planning and management characteristics, which allows planners to compare very different
attractions, from a city park to a wilderness area, on a common analytical footing.
Purpose of the classification system
The central purpose of classifying tourism resources in this way is to support effective plan-
ning, management and marketing by clarifying how a resource relates to its users and its set-
ting. Wilson and Steyn (1996) argue that classification procedures allow planners to move
from an ad hoc inventory of attractions toward an analytical tool that identifies gaps in provi-
sion, matches resources to visitor needs, and guides investment decisions. Applied to tourism
specifically, the Clawson and Knetsch framework helps a destination such as Cape Town to
recognise, for example, that a beachfront shopping precinct requires different infrastructure,
staffing and marketing from a remote nature reserve, even though both appear on the same re-
gional attractions list. The system therefore functions as a diagnostic device: once a resource
is classified, its likely catchment area, travel distance tolerated by visitors, seasonality, and vul-
nerability to overuse can be anticipated with more confidence, which in turn informs zoning,
carrying-capacity decisions and product development.
Page 2 of 8
