Until recently it was a model for community based tourism cbt projects. At independence in 1963, kenya depended mainly on its exports of agricultural. Tourism regulatory authoritytra is a corporate body mandated to regulate the tourism sector in kenya. The contribution of tourism to economic growth and food security. The united nations world tourism organization endorses tourism for economic development and poverty reduction in developing countries, emphasising the role of micro, small and mediumsized tourism enterprises. It also sought to enhance the literature and state of current thoughts in adventure tourism. Market development factors for american travel to kenya issuelab. As in many other developing countries, tourism is one of the key drivers of kenya s socioeconomic development. Women empowerment and community development through. Kenya community based tourism network kecobat home.
But the tanzanian governments decision to forcibly evict thousands of maasai from the area has provoked several violent encounters between rangers and maasai. List of members duly signed with namepositionid no. This paper explores alternative forms of tourism, discusses the need for defining. Tourism has played a major role in kenya s development despite economic jolts from timetotime by. About community tourism in kenya community based tourism cbt is a new facet of tourism that empowers local residents often rural, poor and marginalized to take charge in the decision making process in tourism development. Background the tourism industry in kenya has traditionally had seven active private sector bodies representing the associations of tour operators, hotelkeepers and. Kenya community based tourism network kecobat, nairobi, kenya. Tourism regulatory authority, utalii house,5th floor, utalii lane, off uhuru highway.
The paper recommends that properly structured foundational activities need to be put in place towards building a strong destinationbased conference tourism brand. Environment programme unep2005, tourism isan activitythat has grown byaround 25 per cent inthe past 10years. Thus, this study examined the methods used by the kenya tourist board in marketing adventure tourism in the mount kenya region. During the projects first village workshop, which took place in june 2001, representatives from neighbouring villages, as well as local uganda wildlife authority uwa staff and private lodge owners agreed that communitybased tourism was one of the priority areas for enterprise development.
Partnerships in community based ecotourism projects. Six months before the start of each financial year by january 1 the commission on revenue allocation cra must submit its recommendations to the national assembly on how to share revenue raised nationally between the national government and the counties, as well as the criteria that will be used to share conditional grants among the counties. Communitybased tourism cbt and ecotourism activities in northern tanzania have grown rapidly over the past decade. Ecotourism and its potential for community development in kenya. The role of national branding in promoting tourism in kenya. Community based tourism enterprises development in kenya. Apart from being a reliable and resilient source of revenue for the government, the sector also provides wellremunerated direct employment to over 400,000 tanzanians.
Here in kenya some communities around the main game parks have established cbt activities to enable local communities participate in efforts to promote community tourism and at the same time boost their economic living. Moreover, the drought which is worse just over the border. Fecto is an umbrella body of communitybased tourism enterprises in kenya. Kenya community based tourism network kecobat home facebook. This paper suggests ways in which communitybased tourism cbt can be used as a. Moreover, tourism is a key economic activity in kenya contributing 10% to gdp and providing over 500 000 jobs across the formal and informal sectors gokmot, 2006. Women empowerment and community development through ecotourism. Community based tourism emerges as an alternative to bridge the social and economic gap of rural communities, and is suitable for communities seeking to generate additional income in their daily economic activities utilising the cultural, natural and local resources in a particular region.
The paper recommends that properly structured foundational activities need to be put in place towards building a strong destination based conference tourism brand. Ecotourism kenyas community outreach programme offers tailormade services for community groups such as. After a brief description of the case study marathon, ontario, an account of the process is provided, followed by an evaluative discussion on the experience of conducting strategic tourism development planning based on reids model. By channelling tourism revenue to local residents, conservationists hope to offset wildlife costs and improve local attitudes toward conservation. In kenya, community based enterprises cbes are preferred. Fecto is an umbrella body of community based tourism enterprises in kenya. In kenya, the importance of the tourism industry to the countrys economy cannot be overstated. Partnerships in communitybased ecotourism projects. With diminutive effect from the elections anxiety, kenyas tourism sector has withstood the pressures of uncertainties that resulted to some tourists having to hold their travel plans. The research found that the success factors of communitybased tourism in sam chuk and klong suan markets are different. When done right, sustainable tourism development can be an effective tool for stimulating economic growth, alleviating poverty, conserving biodiversity, preserving culture and traditions.
A ccording to the world tourism organization wlo and the united nations. Africa notably tanzania, zimbabwe, kenya, botswana and namibia has witnessed a boom in communitybased tourism enterprises since the late 1980s and early 1990s. Throughout much of the tropics, humanwildlife conflict impedes local support for national parks. Subsequently, a growing number of the local pastoralists struggling for survival amidst declining livestock production are. Local communities and ecotourism development in kimana. This is a beautiful area that is normally big game rich, although it is quite seasonal. As in many other developing countries, tourism is one of the key drivers of kenyas socioeconomic development. Overview of communitybased tourism in kenya the emergence of communitybased tourism cbt in kenya is closely aligned with the growth of ecotourism and communitydriven conservation. Cbt enables these residents to work together with other stakeholders develop opportunities for employment, participation. The industry stakeholders led by the government are seeking means and strategies of differentiating the tourism product offering in order to become a.
A discussion of the partnership concept is followed by a brief introduction to wildlifebased tourism in kajiado district. Tourism has played a major role in kenyas development despite economic jolts from timetotime by. The concept of community based tourism is widely practiced in southern africa and namibia with a lot of success stories. Participation in decisionmaking processes, local ownership, collective responsibility, sharing of resources, leadership and management, achieving authenticity, and achieving distinction have a statistically. Cultural tourism in africa association for tourism and leisure. Pdf is it possible to combine mass tourism with alternative forms of. Status of community based tourism in kenya a report by stta.
Community based tourism development a framework for kenya. This paper is the first in a series that examines partnerships in ecotourism initiatives in the maasai region of kenya, i. Rural tourism extends beyond farm based tourism to include. An assessment of the role of nonstate actors in development. It is also notable that control of tourisms key natural resource wildlife is the mandate of kenya wildlife service kws which is under the ministry of forestry and natural. Mar 25, 2016 overview of community based tourism in kenya the emergence of community based tourism cbt in kenya is closely aligned with the growth of ecotourism and community driven conservation. The republic of kenya gains growing popularity as a tourism destination which.
Background information the kenya community based tourism network kecobat was launched in august 2003 as a membership umbrella organization representing the interest of community based tourism cbt organizations in kenya. Efficacy of tourism as a tool for local community development. Kenyas tourism product lines that is, supply and their source markets that is, demand function in a crosssectoral context, which leads to crosscutting public and private sector issues. E tourism as an alternative tourism strategy of choice for kenya s tourism diversification and development strategies. In kenya, the tourism industry is a key industry employing over 500 000 people and is a leading foreign exchange earner kenya government, 2004. There is a general feeling that the tourism industry in kenya needs to avoid over reliance on wildlife and diversify its tourism product base. Community based tourism cbt and ecotourism activities in northern tanzania have grown rapidly over the past decade. Many developing countries in africa have recognized the importance of cbt as a panacea to tourism development challenges, providing benefits to local impoverished communities. Community based tourism cbt has been advocated for as the preferred mode of tourism that will serve as a key catalyst for economic regeneration and poverty eradication. The ntss provides inter alia for the development of a domestic tourism growth strategy, focusing on domestic tourisms contribution to a sustainable tourism economy. A ccording to the world tourism organization wlo and the united nations \. Best practice model for community capacitybuilding.
An evaluation of communitybased ourism t d how theory. Kenya is a beautiful country with a great tourism product and i call on the kenyan government to continue to invest in the travel and tourism sector to. Kenya community based tourism network kecobat was launched in august 2003 as a membership umbrella organization representing the interest of community based tourism cbt organization in. This entails developing regulations, standards and guidelines that are necessary to ensure an allround quality service delivery in the tourism sector. Wilderness tourism, wildlife tourism, safari, africa, kenya, national parks, conservancies. To contribute to sustainable development of tourism in kenya through promoting customeroriented innovation and marketing of. Local communities and ecotourism development in kenya. Further, it is also argued that the development of tourism, particularly the development of community based tourism in africa and other third world countries will, in the long run, assist in the promotion of crosscultural understanding and social harmony amongst local host communities and tourists richter 1994. It contributes about 11% of the gross domestic product gdp. Communitybased tourism is gaining prestige all over the world as an alternative to mass tourism. Ecotourism and its potential for community development in kenya carolyn m. Community based tourism kenya, karen, nairobi area, kenya. Ecotourism and its potential for community development in.
A discussion of the partnership concept is followed by a brief introduction to wildlife based tourism in kajiado district. The tourism industry particularly benefits the economies of developing countries, where most of the sectors tourism jobs and businesses are being created. Kenya community based tourism network kecobat was launched in august 2003 as a membership umbrella organization representing the interest of community based tourism cbt organization in kenya. Kenya is one of the most developed tourist destinations in subsaharan africa ssa sindiga, 1999. This paper proposes a communitybased tourism affinity index cbtai meant to assist in standardizing cbt criteria and categories to firstly, curb the misappropriation of the term and concept of cbt and, secondly, to contribute to the best practice model of cbt.
For example, while for naturebased tourism the average length of stay is around 6. The federation of community tourism organizations fecto welcomed representatives from tara at the african conservation center acc on 29 april, 2015. Policies for tourism development in kenya article pdf available in annals of tourism research 182. Therefore, the need for research on adventure tourism in the mount kenya region is apparent. This paper examines the current situation of kenya s tourism based on analysis of various secondary sources including government records, news articles, a corpus of academic papers and discussions with industry players both facetoface and through the internet and telephone conversation providing valuable primary in put. The contribution of tourism to economic growth and food. This paper evaluates cbe potential and challenges for poverty reduction in. About community tourism in kenya kenya community based. The overall objective of sustour project was to contribute to sustainable development of tourism in kenya, through promoting customeroriented innovation and marketing of community based tourism cbt to foster improvement in rural livelihoods and conservation of culture and natural environment. Based on the on this initial foundational model, tourism in kenya is still supervised and coordinated by a fullyfledged government ministry, the ministry of tourism.
Tourism revenuesharing around national parks in western. The role of national branding in promoting tourism in. Further, it is also argued that the development of tourism, particularly the development of communitybased tourism in africa and other third world countries will, in the long run, assist in the promotion of crosscultural understanding and social harmony amongst local host communities and tourists richter 1994. The two teams discussed collaboration to promote their shared objectives regarding community development in kenya. The research found that the success factors of community based tourism in sam chuk and klong suan markets are different. In kenya, communitybased enterprises cbes are preferred. Minutes of the meeting seeking registration and showing elected officials must be attached to the application form. Few studies have examined an empirical link between tourism and poverty reduction. Background information kenya community based tourism. Community based tourism is gaining prestige all over the world as an alternative to mass tourism. E tourism as an alternative tourism strategy of choice for kenyas tourism diversification and development strategies. Jun 21, 2017 kenya is a beautiful country with a great tourism product and i call on the kenyan government to continue to invest in the travel and tourism sector to foster the growth and further explore the. Kecobat was launched in august 2003 as a membership umbrella organization. Apr 30, 2015 the federation of community tourism organizations fecto welcomed representatives from tara at the african conservation center acc on 29 april, 2015.