The genesis and growth of Community Based Tourism Initiatives (CBTIs) in the 1990s was based on their perceived ability to augment community support for wildlife conservation, while ensuring that local communities can participate and gain from tourism development. However, a number of CBTIs in Kenya have failed to meet community and tourism industry expectations. This study examined the extent to which local communities participate in tourism development in the Mwaluganje Conservancy through a community survey and key informant interviews. Community participation was limited and largely confined to giving consent on land utilisation and benefit sharing, and providing views on tourism development to be undertaken. They lacked power to ensure that agreements were implemented. We recommend an alternative tourism development strategy that involves active participation of the key actors in the entire tourism development process
Community Based Tourism (CBT) is among several types of tourism that have been considered sustainable and beneficial to the host populations in conservation areas. The local community participation in tourism in conservation areas is supposed to be high and its members should benefit from the tourism process. However, having been presented with opportunity to improve their livelihoods, communities are constrained in various ways and generally fail to benefit from tourism development. This study was set to investigate constraints to community participation in conservation areas. It was carried out in Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary (MES) in Kwale County, Kenya, using a descriptive survey design. Data was collected using researcher administered questionnaires and oral interviews. The results indicated that lack of coordination among stakeholders; inadequate financial resources, lack of conducive environment for tourism growth, and lack of skills/knowledge were major constraints to participation. The study concludes that to address both operational and structural constraints to community participation, the national and county governments should develop policies that compel investors to honour agreements with communities, assist communities to enter into fair collaborations with investors, and provide incentives to investors in tourism.
Community Based Tourism (CBT) is among several types of tourism that have been considered sustainable and beneficial to the host populations in conservation areas. The local community participation in tourism in conservation areas is supposed to be high and its members should benefit from the tourism process. However, having been presented with opportunity to improve their livelihoods, communities are constrained in various ways and generally fail to benefit from tourism development. This study was set to investigate constraints to community participation in conservation areas. It was carried out in Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary (MES) in Kwale County, Kenya, using a descriptive survey design. Data was collected using researcher administered questionnaires and oral interviews. The results indicated that lack of coordination among stakeholders; inadequate financial resources, lack of conducive environment for tourism growth, and lack of skills/knowledge were major constraints to participation. The study concludes that to address both operational and structural constraints to community participation, the national and county governments should develop policies that compel investors to honor agreements with communities, assist communities to enter into fair collaborations with investors, and provide incentives to investors in tourism.
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