Outfitting Adventure Tourism: Hunting in South Africa, 1890-1930

This paper is an historical contribution to adventure tourism scholarship. The novel contribution is to provide an historical perspective on the organization and outfitting of the products and equipment required for the pursuit of one niche in adventure tourism. The specific focus is South Africa during the period 1890 to 1930 when the country was promoted as a destination for hunter ‘sportsmen’ and to examine the associated clothing, equipment and services required for sportsmen hunters in Africa. The research uses archival sources, most importantly specialized guidebooks produced for British colonial hunters. During the period 1890 to 1930 the mainly English participants in the adventure activity of hunting in colonial South Africa required an array of different products and services. The supply chains for these products and services were differentiated with many products manufactured abroad and imported for sale in South Africa. Examples were equipment such as specialized clothing, guns and rifles, medical products, and cameras all of which were essential items for hunters. The major equipment produced in South Africa was the wagons which were constructed locally and the means of transport for many hunter adventurers into the African interior.