Abstract:
This paper provides as analysis concerning existing structural deficiencies and socio-
economic factors which impact on the efficacy of tourism as a tool for long-term
sustainable development in Kenya. It also presents policy-related suggestions on
alternative tourism strategy which can assist to ameliorate the social and
environmental impacts of tourism development and enhance the efficacy of the
industry in promoting : long-term sustainable development.
Kenya provides a good example of an African country which has embraced tourism as
an important tool for socio-economic development. In the short-term, Third World
Countries in general, and Kenya in particular, viewed the development of tourism as a
quick and reliable source of much sought after foreign exchange receipts, job creation
and economic growth. Whereas in the long-term it is usually envisioned that tourism
development will contribute to economic diversification and, in consequence, reduce
excessive over-dependency on the exportation of conventional raw materials. This is
due to the fact that because the consumption of tourism products occurs at the place
of production (the destination) it has, through its various possible linkages and
associations with other industries (i.e., transport, agriculture, fishery , forestry,
construction, handicraft), potential multiplier effects on the local, regional and national
economy. However, a critical evaluation of the evolution and development of tourism
in Kenya indicates that the country's tourism industry faces socio-economic problems
and structural deficiencies which reduce the industry’s efficacy as a tool for local,
regional and national sustainable development. For instance, there are extremely high
leakage rates of the country's tourism revenues to external sources. It has been
estimated that sometimes as much as two thirds of the gross tourism revenues go to
foreign owned tour operators, and airlines, as well as to pay for imported commodities
for tourists and the tourism industry .As a consequence, insignificant amounts of the
tourism revenues trickle down to local people who are usually employed in servile and
lowly paying jobs, and bear most of the negative social and environmental impacts of
tourism development.
