Ecotourism and sustainable development in Kenya : opportunities and challenges

Abstract

Ecotourism, also called variously as nature tourism, alternative tourism, responsible tourism, and many others, is currently promoted in Kenya, like in other pans of the world, as a realistic way of protecting nature and integrating conservation with local development. The goal is to develop and promote new forms of tourism which will bring the greatest possible benefit to all the participants travellers, the host jxipula tions and the tourist business, without causing intolérable ecological and social change (Boo, 1990; Whelan, 1991). In the ecotourism approach, visitors are urged to adopt eco^code forms of behaviour in order to acquire a strong commitment to nature and be concerned with the welfare and integrity of the host communiaes (Western, 1993). Earnings from ecotourism is to be used to help create and maintain the resources that attract ecotourists and provide direct benefit to the local oommunities where the resources are located. Use of local resources, called erotechniqes, and local expertise is encouraged to reduce the effects on the environment. Tourists activities are to be small-scale, locally owned with consequently low import leakages and a higher proportion of profits retained locally as opposed to the traditional tourism of large-scale, multinational ownership with high leakages (Cater 1993)