John S. Akama

Measuring tourist satisfaction with Kenya's wildlife safari: a case study of Tsavo West National Park

Abstract Kenyas national parks form the pillar of the countrys tourism industry. Over one million international tourists visit Kenya annually to partake in wildlife safari and other forms of nature-based tourism. However in recent years, the countrys tourism industry has shown increasing signs of poor performance, especially in the volume of international tourists visiting the national parks. A number of reasons have been postulated as possible causes of this poor performance. They include the presumed degradation and reduction of the quality of the wildlife parks’ tourist product, a deteriorating security situation in the country and poor infrastructure. However, most of these suggestions are not based on empirical research. This study investigates one of these arguments (i.e. the reduction of the quality of the parks’ tourist product as it relates to visitor satisfaction) using the case study of Tsavo West National Park. The SERVQUAL service quality attributes were used to measure the quality of services, and the overall visitor satisfaction with tourist product and services of the park. A total of 200 international tourists were interviewed and interestingly, an overwhelming majority of the tourists (over 70%) indicated that they had a satisfactory experience. Thus, based on the tourists’ responses, one may argue that at least for the case of Tsavo West, the park offers a quality tourist product. In this regard, the study contends that probably there exist exogenous factors that are responsible for the current decline and poor performance of Kenya tourism industry a reduction of the quality of the parks’ tourist product is not a determinant of such decline.

Tourism and socio-economic development in developing countries: a case study of Mombasa Resort in Kenya.

This paper looks at issues surrounding sustainable tourism as a tool for local socio-economic development in Kenya, using the case study of Mombasa Resort Town. Illustrated by primary data from field interviews and surveys in Mombasa, backed by secondary data, it finds that due to the nature of the Kenyan tourism industry (external control and management of tourism establishments, limited local involvement and high leakage rates), the industry has not played an effective role in local socio-economic development. Ways forward are suggested.

The Evolution of Tourism in Kenya

Until recently (the late 1980s) Kenya has been an important tourist destination, receiving over 6% of the total tourist arrivals to Africa. In 1989, the country received over 800,000 international tourists, and it was being predicted that if similar trends continued, the country could receive over 1 million tourists by the turn of the century. However, defying expert projections, Kenyas tourism industry experienced abrupt and unforeseeable decline in the 1990s, and currently the future of the countrys tourism industry is uncertain. This paper provides a historical and contextual analysis of the evolution and development of tourism in Kenya. In order to put the evolution of tourism in Kenya in proper and broader context, the product life cycle model is used as an analytical tool. The model provides a conceptual framework to explain the complex processes of tourism development in Kenya over the years. However, as the study shows, while the product life cycle model is useful in explaining the development a...

Conflicting attitudes toward state wildlife conservation programs in Kenya

We present a case study of the social issues of wildlife conservation in Kenya based on field work in and near Nairobi and Tsavo National Parks. Surveys of small‐scale cultivators and pastoralists (157) and local park officials (44) reveal that there are widespread negative feelings and perceptions of local people toward state policies and programs of wildlife conservation. For instance, 84% of the local people reported that there is a bad relationship between the national park management and the local community; only 10% stated that the park is an asset to them; and 57% asserted that the park should be abolished. Moreover, perceptions and attitudes of local people and park officials are greatly disparate with regard to the benefits the parks provide for local people, the level of conflict between local people and wildlife, and the future of the parks.

Wildlife Conservation, Safari Tourism and the Role of Tourism Certification in Kenya: A Postcolonial Critique

Abstract Kenyas national parks and game reserves form the pillar of the countrys tourism industry, and wildlife viewing and safari tourism are significant generators of income and foreign exchange. The promulgation of pioneer national parks in Kenya in the mid-20th century followed colonial practices of “exclusion” and “divide and rule” which marginalized local communities in decision-making processes and initiation of tourism programmes and wildlife conservation initiatives. Government supported policies and programmes that focused on wildlife protection and promotion of safari tourism also accentuated human-wildlife conflicts and contributed to species loss and habitat fragmentation. This study examines the evolution of Kenyas wildlife conservation policies and safari tourism programmes, and argues that safari tourism in Kenya has privileged Western models of tourism development and wildlife conservation, with historic exclusion of indigenous communities still ongoing today, though some improvements are evident. Postcolonial legacies influence the political economy of tourism in regard to the Maasai in Kenya; inequitable power relations are illustrated with the help of a literature review as well as a case example. The study offers suggestions to guide the development of future tourism certification programmes and indicators related to protected areas and safari tourism. Such programmes should be cognizant of Kenyas postcolonial context and attend to social and cultural sustainability, including issues of inclusion, exclusion and empowering local communities to participate directly in the management and ownership of environmental and tourism resources.

Tourism development in Kenya: problems and policy alternatives

This paper provides a social and ecological analysis of tourism development in Kenya and identifies possible solutions to the problems confronting the tourism industry in the country. These problems include the degradation and reduction of the quality of the tourism product; decreasing per capita tourist revenues; and an unequitable distribution of the countrys tourism earnings among different stakeholders. To minimize the negative impacts of tourism, Kenya needs alternative tourism strategy which derives from the countrys dynamic and evolving socio-economic and environmental demands. Consequently, policy and institutional mechanisms need to be put in place which encourage local participation in tourism project design and management. Increased linkage of the tourism industry with other domestic economic sectors will decrease the leakage rates and increase the multiplier effect.

The tenure factor in wildlife conservation

Kakamega Forest and its environs have undergone rapid changes in land tenure and land use activities in recent years. Consequently, changing land tenure and land use and their impact on local communities’ conservation initiatives have become central in conservation debates. Despite this, wildlife conservation is constrained by a legacy of top‐down government approaches that do not recognize indigenous land and resource rights. Yet effective conservation is only possible where land ownership, tenure security, access and use rights and legitimacy of authority exist. This paper examines the link between land tenure and the Isukha community’s participation in wildlife conservation within and around Kakamega Forest National Reserve in Kenya. Results indicate that there is a link between land tenure and the Isukha community’s participation in wildlife conservation. Results also indicate that as in other African countries, the introduction of radical land reforms and wildlife conservation laws and policies impacted negatively on the community’s indigenous land rights as well as their participation in wildlife conservation.

Tourism product development and the changing consumer demand: A case study of Kenya

Kenya is an important tourist destination in Africa accounting for over 6% of the total international tourist arrivals to the continent. However, in recent years Kenyas tourism industry has been experiencing problems of poor performance and continuing decline in the number of international tourist arrivals. This study examines the main characteristics of the countrys tourism product vis‐a‐vis the changing trends in global tourism market demands. It is argued that the underlying cause of the recent poor performance of the tourism industry relates to the nature of the countrys tourism product. Over the years, Kenya has been offering a limited tourism product that is based on beach and wildlife tourism. Also, the marketing of Kenya mainly depends on overseas tour operators who mainly sell inclusive tour packages. Thus, the form of tourism product that is offered by Kenya has not responded to the recent changes and trends in international tourism market demands. Post‐modern tourists, particularly tourists from developed countries, are increasing becoming aware of the negative impacts of mass tourism and are increasingly looking for alternative tourism products that provide a deeper and more meaningful experience. Thus, if Kenya is to rejuvenate its tourism industry there is need for the country to provide a diverse alternative tourism product which is more appealing to the post‐modern tourists.