Understanding Travel and Tourism: Kenya - Case Study Example

Kenya Introduction Tourism as of today is an expansive field. It has been marked by changes that have left far reaching cultural and social changes in both Western and non-Western parts of the world. The dramatic historical events and major technological innovations brought about a change that was transformational in nature. Today’s world is driven by globalization, technological progress, communication and information revolutions and accelerated economic and social change. These trends seem to have helped in stimulated global affluence; they have also increased consumerism, commoditization and a sense of risk. Towards the last the study of tourism moved largely away from Western tourism to non-Western tourism due to the fact that the craving for fun and enjoyment took over the want to study the authenticity of a region. The widely used binary domestic/international has been a matter of debate among the mobilities theorists. Before 9/11, Urry (2000) proposed the concept of a society with in which a boundary is drawn around a cluster of objects. The borders of states will become permeable and the distinction between ‘domestic’ and ‘international’ on the conventional concept will become obsolete. This concept and theory was proved wrong after 9/11 when security concerns rose due to fears of terrorism and anti-immigrant sentiments arose in many Western countries. Due to the above many Asian and African countries saw a rise in tourism irrespective of the realities of the region within. While most tour operators flaunt the regions with accuracy, most African regions, in our case Kenya is mostly lauded for its happening wildlife and coastlines and beaches. Political Map of Kenya Cities of Mombasa, Malindi and Lamu are costal with many resorts and beach activities for tourists. The cities also house some of the eminent heritage sites and locations. As the tourist moves towards the centre of the country the climate and weather becomes dry and arid and a desert safari is the way to see the flourishing wildlife of the country. Being a tourist spot Kenya has developed national parks and reserves which are 60 in number and cover almost 7.5% of its total land area. The Tsavo National Park just outside Mombasa is the largest. The coastline of is 480 kms along the Indian Ocean. The country is famous for the Rift Valley which runs North to South. The valley was created when the Earth sank as a result of geological movements. The ecosystem of the valley is unique with shallow lakes and flamingos and also supplies some natural resources to Kenya. The sides of the valley have rich soils which are used for farming. Kenya’s largest lake Lake Turkana is also found in the Rift Valley which is a constant tourist attraction. Natural Environment of Kenya Kenya is at the equator which means dry and hot climate. This attracts many Western tourists looking for warm weather conditions and animal life exposure. The weather of the country changes very little, but varies across the country. The Coastal areas are cooler with temperatures reaching 35C, while the inner dry lands reach up to 40C. The temperatures also vary from day to night, where day times are hot and a cold wind blows at night. The elevation of the areas also plays a major role in affecting temperature. The higher the altitude the colder the nights and hence warm clothing might be needed. Although Kenya is on the equator, the mountains like Mount Kenya, Mount Elgon and Kilimanjaro have a bitterly cold weather throughout. The peaks of these mountains have seen snowfall and are mostly covered in snow. Kenya has naturally occurring minerals which include, limestone, soda ash, salt and zinc. Kenya also houses gemstones, fluorspar, diatomite, oil and gypsum. Kenya’s coast is famous for its biodiversity and marine life. The tourism trade is therefore heavily reliant on the animal life in the seas and the seafood that fisherman bring to the table. People living on the coastal areas also have seafood as a primary source of nutrition. Kenya as a society The Kenyan society is a mix cultural society which allowed immigration at a very early stage in its formation. The lingua franca, Swahili developed from Arabic and Bantu. This language became the primary language of trade long before Kenya came into existence. When the Portuguese claimed port in 1498, the Arab dominance was clipped until the Imam of Oman regained it in 1600s. The British however gained control in the 19th century. In 1957, after much resistance to colonial British rule, the very first elections took place and the elected people moved in favour of Jomo Kenyatta. Kenyatta became Kenya’s first Prime Minister in 1962 and Kenya gained full independence in 1963. Since independence Kenya has seen an influx of different ethnicities looking for livelihood. The ethnic groups of Kenya include the regional Bantus, Nilotics, Cushitics, Arabs, Indians and Europeans. The Bantus are the largest ethnic group of Kenya, who are the actual farmers. There are many sub-ethnicities in Bantus of which the Swahilis are a direct descendants. The Nilotes are the second largest group and are Sudanese in origin. Most of the Nilotes are herdsmen and many have adopted the Cushite customs and practices. The Cushites are a minority and are Ethiopian or Somalian in origin. The Cushites with Somali origin are only a few decades old and fought in the Shifta War against Kenyan troops and to date still maintain close ties with their kin in Somalia. They have a strong entrepreneurial community. The Arabs have been in Kenya since before its birth and are now concentrated on the coastline. The Arabs that chose to stay are mostly Omanis and are engaged in trade. Indians arrived in Kenya with the sole purpose of labor. The Kenya-Uganda Railway was built entirely by the Indians sent by the British India. After independence most Indians became entrepreneurs. The Europeans are direct descendants of the colonial British and many are of the aristocratic descent. They are mainly involved in the business and political sector of the country still influencing both sectors to a great extent. The official languages of Kenya are English and Swahili, with many regional languages and dialects in use. English is used in schools and commerce while the many rural dwellers only speak their native language. Almost 70 languages are spoken in Kenya which belong to different classes of ethnic groups. The dominant religion of the Kenyan people is Christianity with almost 82% people following the religion. Islam is the second dominant religion. The Portuguese introduced Christianity and it spread in the region with the colonial rule. All forms of Christianity can be found in the region with a diverse following. Non-Catholic and Non-Protestant movements are also found in the region and make almost 11% of the region. Islam makes up almost 11% of the Kenyan soil although the figure is debatable. The prominent classes of Muslims are Sunnis, Shias and Ahmedis. Muslims are present on the coastal areas and the Western Province. Most of them are Arab, Somali and of Asian origin. Under the Kenyan Constitution, Muslims have a right to appeal to Sharia courts for settlement of matters related to Sharia. Sharia courts have power above normal courts regarding certain matters. A small number of Hindus also reside in Kenya’s capital, Nairobi. Atheists and people with traditional African religious inclinations also form a small part of population of Kenya. The traditional African religions involves believing in Ngai residing on Mount Kenya, believing that the dead merely transform into another state of being and bring good fortune to the living, having holy shrines deep in the forests where sacrifices and prayers can be offered and so forth. About 1% of the population in Kenya is Bahai. Kenya’s Heritage Kenya has many heritage and historical sites which add to its grandeur. Many exotic sites exist which are a major tourist attraction. Along the costal belt the Gede Ruins is the most intensively studied and most beautiful historical architecture to date. Dating back to the 12th century, the ruin is the most sophisticated settlement in ruins. Apparently raided in 1598 and finally abandoned, the remains of the Swahili town are well preserved for tourists. Also along the cost is Lamu, a well-kept and living city. It is known for its Islamic and Swahili culture. For ages many rites and annual celebrations have been preserved and kept alive. UNESCO has included Lamu Old Town in its list of World Heritage Sites. The Railway Museum in Nairobi has an assortment of railway relics and records predating the independence of Kenya. Steam locomotives built by Germans and the carriage used during the hunt for man-eaters in 1900 are on display. The museum is a major crowd puller. The Meru museum in Meru town gives a cultural and traditional outlook on the lives of the Meru community. The exhibits are mainly cultural and technological and belong to the prehistoric site at Lewa Downs (TBA, n.d.). Tourism in Kenya Tourism in Kenya started well before it became an independent state, with people visiting it for its fauna and flora and as a place to earn a livelihood. Most ethnic groups moved into Kenya from bordering countries in search for better opportunities while others moved out. Tourism as a concept of travelling into and out of the country didn’t become dominant until Kenya was formed. Governments saw incentive in developing the natural African environment which included the Rift Valley, National Parks, museums, the coastal lines and the old heritage sites. The country saw a spill of tourists who came to Kenya for relaxation and hunting. Up until 2007, the security concerns of the tourists were to a minimum. Since the country is basically a 3rd World country most of the investment in the tourism is foreign or made by huge investors inside the country, which include the political elite. Kenya won the Best Leisure Destination Award in 2008 at the World Travel Fair in Shanghai China (Robinson et al, 2013). Kenya has two types of tourism; luxury and mass. Both have been beneficial for Kenya. Initially Kenya developed luxury tourism which worked till other countries came into the same field which dwindled the trade for Kenya. Addressing the changing consumer needs, Kenya hosted the 20th annual congress of the US-based Africa Travel Association in 1965 together with the Kenya International Tourism Exhibition. The Kenyan government has opened all its tourism options, which has lead to a magnanimous response in terms of tourists incoming. ‘Pull’ factors The main push factors are the uniqueness of the African animal life and the environment. The untouched beaches and the serenity of the heritage cities which have been kept untouched adds to the beauty of the country and pushes the consumer out of their normalcy to the country. The stability and security besides the affordability and transportation make for an exciting experience. Besides that the availability of desired accommodation, the climate and weather of the desired location also are major pull factors. Kenya as a whole is a multi-ethnic, cultural country with every city having a different flavor. While most cities have been modernized, some cities do represent the old African culture and have an immense cultural impact on the people living there. These cities have been branded as tourist cities and are frequented by tourists of all sorts. ‘Push’ factors ‘Push’ factors are ‘economic, social, demographic, technological and political forces that stimulate a demand for tourism activity by “pushing” consumers away from their usual place of residence’ (Richardson, 1999, p7). Most tourists come from affluent countries and from Western areas. These people either come for relaxation or for hunting and safari experiences. Activities of tourists in Kenya Most tourists relax on the luxury beaches or scout the coastlines for refreshing airs. Besides that tourists engage in sight seeing, visiting museums, heritage sites, national parks all that amounts to the concept of ‘gazing’ (Urry, 2002). While there is an idea of shopping from the local markets available, Kenya is famous for its animal collection as is Africa, and its heritage sites and cultural diversity. The average Kenyan tourist can be either a luxury or a mass tourist, but gazing is preferred over performing. Performing in the form of hunting is an activity which is much sought after but only by experienced persons. The average tourist in Kenya is a fun-craving individual looking for a change of scenery which is accomplished easily by gazing around. The impact of tourism on Kenyan society Tourism has impacted Kenya in a multitude of ways. More and more middle class people are entering the field of tourism in hope of earning a decent living. While most luxury resorts are still foreign or government ownership, most vendors and small businesses have benefited greatly from the footfall of tourists. As the tourism industry has diversified there is immense potential in conference tourism, cultural tourism, cruise ship tourism, aviation and travel tourism and eco-tourism (Sindiga, 1999). Many institutions and centers provide training and/or facilities that promote tourism on different levels, some of which are; studying tourism at Kenya Utalii College, KWS Education Centers and Nairobi Education Center- Animal Orphanage. The restoration of heritage sites and building of new and complex resort cities and sites has created an alarming situation for the environment of Kenya. Constant maintenance of the heritage sites and methods used are of particular concern as the daily wear and tear due to constant human and environment contact of age-old sites is of particular concern (KTDC, n.d.). While the country has enough resorts, Kenya still has many iconic structures that are being built around to take advantage of. This poses a hazard for the environment and the iconic structures as the waste and human branding can leave scathing marks. Conclusion Kenya is an iconic country in the middle of Africa, possessing many unique attributes. The tourism is highly dependent on the coastlines and the heritage sites. The culture of Kenya is also a very big pull factor in tourism in Kenya. Bibliography KTDC, n.d. Kenya Tourist Development Corporation. [Online] Available at: http://www.ktdc.co.ke/tourism/tourism-projects [Accessed 21 October 2014]. Richardson, J. I. (1999). Introduction to travel and tourism. Elsternwick, Vic. Robinson, P., Lück, M., & Smith, S. L. J. (2013). Tourism. Wallingford, Oxfordshire: CABI. Sindiga, I. (1999). Tourism and African development: Change and challenge of tourism in Kenya. Aldershot: Ashgate. TBA, n.d. Travel Buddy Africa. [Online] Available at: http://www.travelbuddyafrica.com/kenya/historical-sites/meru-museum.html [Accessed 27 October 2014]. Urry, J., 2002. The tourist gaze. London: SAGE Publication. Read More