An evaluation was undertaken to understand opportunities for stimulating local enterprise
development within the tourism supply chain, linked to a private game reserve in South Africa,
the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, which neighbours the Kruger National Park. The study focussed on
understanding the market demand for local products and services from commercial lodges, and
the current local supply from enterprises and entrepreneurs in local communities. This article
quantifies the value of current procurement spend by lodges on local products and services and
estimates their potential future expenditure. The study matches these responses with the
availability of products and services in the neighbouring communities. It also provides insights
into relationships between private lodges, game reserves and local communities in South Africa.
It concurs with previous research on tourism supply chains in rural South Africa, and also makes
recommendations for the development of local businesses with higher technical capacity
development.