Tourism Recovery and Sustainability Post Pandemic: An Integrated Approach for Kenya’s Tourism Hotspots

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the tourism industry, leading to global economic and societal disruptions, and a growing risk of a global recession. This project aimed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on conservation, communities, and businesses in Masai Mara, and identify critical factors for sustainable tourism recovery. Four objectives were explored: (1) awareness of critical factors for tourism recovery and sustainability during and after the pandemic period; (2) socio-economic vulnerabilities of indigenous communities to COVID-19; (3) lessons learned to enhance adaptation and resilience; and (4) the impact of COVID-19 on conservation management of the destination. We used mixed methods, including field observations, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, to collect data from tourism industry businesses and policymakers in the Masai Mara conservation area. The findings indicated a negative large-scale effect on conservation, tourism business, and communities in the area. The study recommends integrated interventions by both county and national governments, targeting small, medium, and micro enterprises. The persistence of the economic damage to the tourism sector will depend on how both county and national governments handle policy interventions towards the funding of tourism SMMEs, the community livelihood programme, and conservation partnerships to incentivize tourism recovery.

Influence of Economic Factors and Government Initiatives on International Tourism Demand in Kenya

“…The implication of these trends is that as the country invested more resources in tourism promotion, it likely became a more popular destination for tourists. These investments might have been instrumental in enhancing the visibility and attractiveness of the country as a tourism hotspot, thereby contributing to the growth in tourist arrivals (Akama, 2002;Chiawo et al, 2023).…”

“…While these forecast results provide valuable insights, it is crucial to acknowledge the inherent uncertainty associated with them. Factors such as changes in economic conditions, geopolitical events, natural disasters, and global pandemics can significantly impact the tourism industry and alter the forecasted patterns (Akama, 1999;Chiawo et al, 2023;Okafor et al, 2023;Song et al, 2019). Therefore, it is advisable to regularly update and validate the forecasts based on the latest data and incorporate additional information to enhance their accuracy and reliability.…”

Construction of the tourist sentiment dictionary for hotels to mining tourist demands: Based on Macao’s hotel reviews from Agoda

“…These hotels are typically located near tourist attractions or transportation hubs and offer various types of accommodation options, facilities, and services to meet the diverse demands of tourists, helping them enjoy the pleasures of tourism and explore their destinations [3]. With the approaching end of the COVID-19 pandemic, governments worldwide are gradually relaxing prevention and control measures for the epidemic, and the travel and tourism sector demonstrates robust indications of resurgence [4,5]. Global tourists exceeded 900 million in 2022, a two-fold increase compared to 2021 [6].…”

Time-Series Clustering of the Regencies Hotel Room Occupancy Rate in Indonesia after the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In many countries, the pandemic impacted the tourism very hard and government interventions are required for tourism sector revitalization [7][8][9] [10]. The focus of recovery is not only for large scales industries, but also for medium and small enterprises [10].…”