Theses & Desertations

ASSESSING TOURISM BUSINESS RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE VARIABILITY IN LAKE BARINGO REGION, KENYA

2025-04-03T09:09:30Z

ASSESSING TOURISM BUSINESS RESILIENCE TO CLIMATE CHANGE VARIABILITY IN LAKE BARINGO REGION, KENYA KANYAMWA, LUNANGA FELIX The academic literature indicates mixed impacts of climate change on tourism businesses. The impact is depicted as somewhat positive in certain instances but mainly negative and some cases disastrous. Lake Baringo region has been affected by climate change variability. The environment around the lake is often weakened by repetitive threats due to the effects of climate change. Thus, several tourist attractions, businesses, and infrastructures have been adversely affected by climate change; hence, the need to establish small-scale tourism business resilience to climate change variability in the region. The study adopted the socio-ecological system framework to examine the precariousness, resistance, and latitude of tourism Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the face of climate disturbance in the region. The study adopts qualitative research approach based on case study design. The qualitative face-to-face interviews were conducted by the researcher. The study respondents were owners or managers of tourism businesses whose activities were affected by the climate variability in the region. This study used deductive-inductive analysis approach based on the conceptual model of stability landscape to develop a resilience framework specific to a tourism destination. The findings showed that, to remain stable in its socio-ecological space, a system is required to regularly monitor its precariousness, the capacity of its actors to respond to major disturbances and to expand its latitude. The tourism subsystems that were targeted as part of this work are: transport (road, lake), accommodation (hotels, campsites) and activities (lake-based activities, land based activities). Managers and owners of tourism businesses linked to these subsystems noted the main disruptions related to climate change in the Lake Baringo region included the spectacular rise in water levels of Lake Baringo, drought, excessive rainfall and flash floods caused by the overflow of Endao River. To be resilient in the face of these disruptions, companies applied different strategies linked both to their managerial capacity and to the particularity of the threat. Thus, the results showed that the resistance of tourism businesses in Lake Baringo region was linked to the sensitivity of each of them to a specific disturbance. To expand the latitude of their companies, managers implemented strategies such as: the diversity of tourist products and markets, recruitment of well-informed and experienced staff, maintaining partnership in the event of adverse climatic conditions and control of competition. It was noted that medium-sized tourism enterprises in the Lake Baringo region were more favored in latitude because they have the possibility of diversifying products through their sub-systems than small enterprises which are limited. Regarding the control of precariousness, Interviews with operators revealed that the operation of some businesses in Lake Baringo area is often close to their limits. This is the example of a hotel that operates with only 35% of usual services and the other 65 not being operational due to the disasters caused by the spectacular water levels rise. The resilience of tourism businesses in the Lake Baringo region is therefore linked to the efficient management of these three dimensions by tourism entrepreneurs, to the particularity of each sub-system and to the specificity of each disturbance due to climate change variability. The study recommended that there is need for training the small-sized tourism business owners to help them build their adaptive capacity and expand their latitude. TSMEs need to acquire equipment and infrastructure capable of resisting the effects of climate change. To initiate and develop educational program in ecosystem preservation for the local communities, business managers and professional associations in order to strengthening in long term the resistance of TSMEs to climatic disturbances. To expand the tourism activities beyond the reliance of the lake in order to move them away from the operational limit imposed by the effects of climate change variability. Overall, the study contributes to the theorization of the resilience factors of tourism businesses which are often subject to shocks and stresses of all kinds. This study is a model of the interconnectivity of sciences which links the tourist fact to the knowledge of other sciences.

EFFECTS OF ARMED CONFLICTS ON TOURISM ACTIVITIES IN VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK AND ITS SURROUNDINGS IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO

2025-04-03T07:09:50Z

EFFECTS OF ARMED CONFLICTS ON TOURISM ACTIVITIES IN VIRUNGA NATIONAL PARK AND ITS SURROUNDINGS IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF CONGO BYEMBA, ATOSHA Armed conflicts have been on the rise globally, and this typically harms a country's destination image in terms of the demand side of tourism. Evidence demonstrates that threats and violence arising armed conflicts have a negative effect on demand for tourism. It is also documented that armed conflicts severely impair economies of countries suffering from them since human life is frequently lost and growth is threatened. This research was conducted in and around Virunga National Park (VNP) and assessed the effects of armed conflicts on tourism activities. Specific objectives of the research were to: determine the tourism activities undertaken in and around VNP, determine the types of armed conflicts experienced in and around the Park, establish the causes of armed conflicts in and around the Park, and to examine the measures put in place to mitigate the effects of armed conflicts on tourism activities in the Park and its surroundings. The study was guided by the descriptive survey research design. The target populations were local residents living adjacent to the Park and key informants drawn from organizations operating in and around the park. The study was guided by three theories; Economic Theory of conflict, Would Culture Theory and Gravity model. A sample size of 255 respondents was selected for the study. This constituted 200 local residents who participated in the questionnaire survey, 40 who participated in focus group discussions, and 15 key informants. Stratified, systematic, purposive and simple random sampling techniques were used to select respondents. Structured questionnaires, interview schedules, and focus group discussions were used to collect date Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics and Chi-square test of goodness fit. Data analysis was facilitated by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences Version 25. Qualitative data was analyzed using NVivo software after coding of themes under study. Results are presented using graphs and tables. The main tourism activity undertaken in VNP is gorilla trekking (92.7%). A linear regression results revealed that types of armed conflicts (β = 0.214, p = 0.000) had a significant positive effect on tourism activities. Furthermore, causes of armed conflicts (β = 0.139, p = 0.019), effects of armed conflicts (β = 0.097, p = 0.011), and mitigation measures (β = 0.074, p = 0.021) all showed significant positive associations with the dependent variable (tourism activities. More than half of respondents (54.2%) agreed that competition over natural resources was the main cause of the armed conflicts experienced, and this was being influenced by foreign and regional powers (χ2=155.92, df=6, P<0.0001). the conflicts had led to a decrease in tourist arrivals and tourism activities in and around the park (χ2=330.0, df=4, P˂0.0001). Mitigation of the conflicts was being addressed through negotiations and peace meetings with armed groups, and marketing of the destination. To reduce the conflicts further and remove the armed groups there should be political tolerance and effective implementation of laws ensuring equal utilization of the resources.

INFLUENCE OF DESTINATION DIMENSIONS ON TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY IN SELECTED SITES OF NANDI COUNTY, KENYA

2023-02-17T09:31:52Z

INFLUENCE OF DESTINATION DIMENSIONS ON TOURISM SUSTAINABILITY IN SELECTED SITES OF NANDI COUNTY, KENYA TALAM, JEMIMAH JEPCHUMBA Sustainable tourism is key in any destination because it improves and gives chances for continuity in tourism development. However, poor road networks, decrease in number of tourists in some of the destinations coupled with low revenue collection from tourism related activities have posed big challenges in supporting tourism development in Nandi County. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of destination dimensions on tourism sustainability in selected sites of Nandi County, Kenya. Particularly, to determine the influence of attractions, accessibility, accommodation and amenities on tourism sustainability. Hence, hypothesis constructed from the objectives above. Expectation Confirmation and Equity theories guided the study. A sample size of 239 was taken from a population of 598 visitors. Stratified and simple random sampling were used. Questionnaires and interviews were used to collect data. A total of 239 questionnaires were disseminated and 172 were dully filled and returned. Data was analyzed using both descriptive and inferential statistics, including percentages, frequencies, mean, and standard deviation, as well as Pearson correlation analysis and standard multiple regression. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 21 aided data analysis. Reliability for research instruments was tested using Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient which was at 0.738(73.8%) which was above the minimum value of 0.70 (70%). The findings showed that destination dimensions of Attractions (β1= 0.51, p < 0.05), Accommodation (β2= 0.73, p < 0.05), Accessibility (β3= 0.75, p < 0.05), and Amenities (β4= 0.23, p < 0.05 had significant and positive effect on tourism sustainability. The study concluded that Attractions, Accommodation, Accessibility and Amenities enhances tourism sustainability. The study recommended that there is need for more support for heritage conservation and more research be carried out to establish the different types of cultural attraction in the county. To enhance accessibility, there is need to improve on access roads and signages to the destinations. Both modern, cultural and natural accommodations facilities need to be built in the county to boost tourism in the site areas. There is need to incorporate digital platforms to facilitate easy access to information concerning various tourists’ destinations in the county.

EFFECT OF MICE TOURISM ON HOTEL PERFORMANCE IN THREE AND FOUR STAR RATED HOTELS IN MOMBASA COUNTY; KENYA

2021-08-16T07:46:07Z

EFFECT OF MICE TOURISM ON HOTEL PERFORMANCE IN THREE AND FOUR STAR RATED HOTELS IN MOMBASA COUNTY; KENYA GITAU, ERINA NOTAILA MICE tourism product has been regarded as an important alternative revenue generator to many tourism destinations across the world. However, MICE tourism product in Kenya and their relationship with hotel performance has been hardly explored. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to examine the effect of MICE tourism on hotel performance in Kenya with focus on 3 and 4 Star Hotels within Mombasa County. The study adopted descriptive research design. The target population was 77 managers and the sample size was 65 from three and four star rated hotels in Mombasa County. Purposive and simple random sampling was used to identify the sample size. Questionnaires were used to elicit information from the respondents. Data collected was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics with the aid of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Descriptive analysis was used to describe the data while inferential statistics specifically regression analysis was used to test the significant relationship between the variables under study. The findings showed that; Conferences (β3 = 0.350, p = 0.001), Events (β4 = 0.311, p = 0.001) and Incentives (β3 = 0.350, p = 0.001) had positive and significant effect on hotel performance at 95% confidence level. However Meetings (β1= 0.019, p = 0.812) was not significant. The study found out that incentives conferences and events have influence on hotel performance and concludes that the hotels should focus more on promoting MICE tourism with specific reference to the positive variables. The study further recommends that hotel managers need to understand the negative effect of meetings as a promotion tool with possible solutions. The study further concludes that incentives and conferences affect hotel performance with incentives having the highest influence. Therefore this study recommends that coastal hotels offering the service of MICE tourism product should ensure security and safety is given priority so as to attract more tourists. Also in terms of conferences, location and environment of the coastal hotel plays a key role in their choice to host conferencing. Lastly, hotel image is also an important attribute in hosting events and hotels should strive to create positive image.