Operationalising Sustainability: A Framework for Enhancing Community-Based Homestays in South Africa

Community-based homestays are growing as alternative accommodation providers in South Africa. They promote cultural exchange, decentralise tourism benefits, and support rural development. However, dominant sustainability models in tourism still focus mainly on economic outcomes. They do not fully address the institutional, socio-cultural, and environmental factors that shape the resilience of homestay ventures. The objective of this paper is to develop a multidimensional framework that captures these broader dimensions of sustainability for community-based homestays. The paper is grounded in conceptual approach and uses a mixed method design. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected in three South African provinces, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. The results present a four-dimensional sustainability framework. The dimensions include economic viability, socio-cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, and institutional support. The framework demonstrates the need for coordinated strategies that respond to national priorities and global sustainability agendas. The implications of the study are significant for policy-makers, tourism planners, and homestay operators. The framework reframes sustainability as a systemic and multi-level concept that supports inclusive tourism development in the Global South. Further empirical research is recommended to refine the model and guide its application in real-world contexts.