Resort Destination in Kenya - Case Study Example

MOMBASA (KENYA) TOURISM DESTINATION ANALYSIS By Student’s Name Code + Course Name Professor’s Name University Cite, State Date Introduction The purpose of this paper rests with the evaluation of a resort destination in Kenya: Mombasa. The paper puts up a discussion on the numerous features that can be found in this location. This feature involves its political location, natural environment features, form of society at the location among others. It is important to understand that Mombasa is one of Africa’s most visited tourist destinations due to its rich background in regards to the local cultures, facilities available like accommodation and also, the natural environment features that are positioned just within the reach of the town. The town enjoys a great influx of tourists from Europe, USA, South-East Asia and other sections of Africa. Notably, the Germans are considered to be the most popular tourists that visit the town in large numbers (Akama & Kieti 2007, p.736). Political Map Mombasa is the smallest county in Kenya with an area coverage of about 229.7sq km. it boarders Kilifi to the north, Kwale to the south west and the Indian Ocean to the east (Tourists Map Kenya, N.d). It has a seaport that is used by Kenya and the neighboring landlocked countries like Uganda and Rwanda. The county has several tourist attraction sites that include the Fort Jesus and Mombasa Marine Park. The destination is made up of six vast constituencies like Jomvu, Changamwe, Kisauni, Nyali, Mvita and Likoni. Kenya, as a whole, is bordered with Somalia in the west, Uganda in the south and Tanzania within the west (Tourists Map Kenya, N.d). Natural Environment Features The two known natural environment features that are in Mombasa are the Mombasa Marine Park and the North Coast Beaches that are placed in close vicinity to the town as a whole. First, the Mombasa Marine National Park is Kenya’s most frequented reserves where the protection of mangroves, sea grass beds, corals and sandy beaches takes place. In this section of Mombasa, potential tourists are able to engage in fun activities like diving and snorkeling at such areas as Mtwapa Creek, which is positioned within the park altogether (Planetware, 2014). Such fascinating animals like the seahorses, sting hays and the eels are some of the marine animals found within the park. Another distinctive feature about experience at the park is the glass-bottom boat, which is provided to those tourists that feel they need not to dive into the waters. Second, the North Coast Beaches are found along the coastline of the town. These beaches are livelier than those found at the south coast since they are positioned close to both the airport and the town at large. In these beaches, tourists are able to enjoy such entertainment features as the water sports and swimming in crystal clear waters at world’s largest white sands beaches (Planetware, 2014). It is important to note that beaches are one of the most known tourists’ hubs in the town given that there are a wide range of accommodation and luxury resorts like beach bungalows. Societal Features of Residents Mombasa residents are considered to be one of the poorest in the country despite the booming tourism activities within the area. According to Akama & Kieti(2007, p737), the residents are subjected to lower levels of poverty and living conditions as statistics indicate that there are about 50 per cent of the residents that live below the $1 poverty line index. This means that with the current population of about half a million people more than a half cannot afford basic necessities of life like decent meal, clean water or sanitary. It is also ascertained that the largest part of the population is illiterate due to lack of school fees. As a result, the society is made up of mostly unemployed people that engage in violence based activities as well as a rampant outburst of drug-abuse and trafficking as such (Akama & Kieti 2007, p737). Given that the coastal town was ruled by three different people; Arabs, Portuguese and the British, the society, especially down at the old town of Mombasa, is made up of these people. The Swahili culture is however; the predominant cultural way of life within this destination. Potential tourists would be able to establish this way of culture by the manner of dressing for both men and women who wear Khanga that carries distinctive messages across them. Tourists would also be aware of the culture by foods being prepared and sold at this town; most of their food is filled with lots of spices. Heritage Destinations in Mombasa Two of the most known heritage destinations in Mombasa are Fort Jesus and Mombasa Old Town. Fort Jesus was built in the period between 1593 and 1596 by the then rulers of the Island; Portuguese. It is important to note that the facility was awarded a UNESCO World heritage state hence; it is one of Kenya’s most visited places by both local and international tourists (Planetware, 2014). It represents a distinctive Portuguese military architecture that is integrated with Italian and Cairati designs. The fort changed possession nine times between 1680s and 1870s before being finally acquired by the British Empire. The facility has a number of collections that relates to ceramics and pottery that depict numerous cultures in existence at the time. The Omani house, for example, showcases jewelries that display on the Swahili mode of living. From this facility, it can be seen that tourists are able to understand the first rulers and influencers of the town that helped shape its prowess today (Planetware, 2014). Mombasa Old Town is positioned within the southeast side of Mombasa Island. It showcases a time when the Portuguese used to be the sole rulers of this section of Kenya. Consequently, the residents of this place are mostly the Asian, Arab and the Europeans as can be seen by the different architecture within the town. From this heritage site, tourists are able to learn of the important influencers of the town in the early periods of industrialization. It is also important to comprehend that the town was used for trading purposes by the aforementioned groups of people. How Mombasa Became a Tourist Destination First, the town is positioned along the Indian Ocean coastline, which made it an important port for trading purposes. This means that lots of people from different origins met and traded at this point. However; others opted to enjoy the white sandy beaches that could be perceived within the town before embarking of trading again. A mixture of different people brought about significant levels of cultures attributed to the Arabs, European and Portuguese. Notwithstanding, the town enjoys a tropical climate all year through hence acted as perfect destination for Europeans, which were experience seasons like winter. The town’s rich historical background coupled with its immediate natural features like the white sandy beaches prompted the traders from across the globe to be visiting the town for resting and relaxation purposes. Nowadays, the destination enjoys a great number of world-class hotels as well as distinctive entertainment venues that are a source of attraction to both local and international based tourists. Influences of Tourists to Mombasa Town Motivation Factors: Travel motivation factors are the fundamental reasons that explain why particular individuals should embark on a particular trip (Weaver & Lawton 2006). Akama & Kieti (2007, p.738) postulates that a significant number of tourists are motivated to visit Mombasa and Kenya as a whole due to the numerous wildlife attractions. Significantly, the tropical climate found in Mombasa as well as the diversified indigenous cultures are other important motivational factors. It is important to realize that motivational factors are derived from the numerous marketing strategies that are deployed by overseas tour operators in marketing developing world destinations in Kenya and Africa as a whole. Notably, commercials that appear in both print and electronic forms of media are employed in marketing Kenya as a tourist destination for the Big Five. Push Factors: These are factors that relate to economical, social, demographical, technological and political aspects that are able to stimulate demand for tourism based activities by way of pushing potential away from their immediate usual place of residence to newer destinations either locally or internationally (Weaver & Lawton, 2006). In regards to the economic push factor, it can be ascertained that Kenya was recently certified as a middle-income country. This means that the level of discretionary income is highly widespread in nature hence significant number of people within the country are able to engage in tourism based activities. In relation to social push factor, the amount of time a given population has for leisure based activities is deemed important. The Kenyan society however; does not enjoy available time for leisure expect in holiday seasons like the December holidays. Holiday tour packages are the important social push factors being employed in Kenya to allow for people to utilize any leisure time to engage in relaxation activities for that matter. The most notable demographical factors that are present in Kenya that help facilitate demand for tourism rests with the adoption of modern lifestyles that encourage smaller family sizes. This means that substantial amount of discretionary money and time is available for tourism. The technological push factors in Mombasa and Kenya as a whole are fairly advanced to the world index. This can be ascertained by the adoption of digital platform in making inquiries and booking for holidays in numerous destinations across the country. The political push factor of Kenya as a whole has never been better. The country recently faced political tensions in the period between 2007 and 2008 that prompted the political instability of the area. Recently, numerous reports have been made in regards to kidnapping of tourists within Mombasa areas hence prompting a decrease in demand for both local and international mode of tourism activities. Pull Factors: These are the immediate attributes of a given destination that prompts potential tourists to be attracted to the destination at hand (Weaver & Lawton, 2010). In regards to the geographical proximity to markets, it is ascertained that most of potential tourists are likely to be attracted to places that are near their respective residences. On the other hand, far distant destinations are also considered to be attractive in case potential tourists are able to access both time and money. In this case, Kenya is considered to be a distant destination however; tourists are attracted to this destination basically because they have the time and money to do so. In regards to infrastructural accessibility as a pull factor, it is ascertained that potential tourists from around the world and local ones are able to visit Mombasa with almost all modes of transport. Most of the international tourists use air and waters while local ones use roads. Mombasa is served by a modern port as well as a strategically placed airport that facilitates movements of people from one area to another. Consequently, Mombasa, Kenya is a destination that is more affordable to visit than most places across the globe. This is especially because of the numerous discounts offered in tour packages in both off and high-seasons. There are numerous attractions sites in Mombasa that are able to pull potential tourists into the destination. Some of the major attractions that enjoy world statuses are Fort Jesus, Mombasa Marine National Park, Haller Park and also, both the north and south coast tropical white sand beaches. Tourism Merchandise First, tourists can purchase Mombasa Sandals from most of the souvenir shops distributed across the streets of the town. These sandals are made from pure leather and old tires for outer soles. The local craftsmen use a substantial amount of colorful beads to decorate the leather section in order to create a variety of shapes (Wikitravel, 2013). No two pairs of the Mombasa Sandals are deemed alike hence they are very unique. Second, tourists an also purchase distinctive African fabrics that are available in most of the curio shops around the town. Mombasa is perfect place to purchase Lesos and Kikois, which exhibit a rich Swahili culture (Wikitravel, 2013). Impact of Tourism on Society The activities of tourism in Mombasa and Kenya as a whole have been able to impact both positively and negatively. For instance, the activities have been positive in the sense that local people have been able to access direct levels of revenues from selling of merchandise to the tourists at a reasonable price. Direct revenues have been used to catapult the local economic status of the town to a reasonable state (Akama & Kieti 2007, p.739). Other forms of direct revenues are also linked to the payments made to access accommodation and entertainment venues like discos, which are placed across the entire town as a whole. On the contrary, the activities of tourism have brought about the deprivation of the local culture. This has been perceived in areas attributed to sexuality and prostitution cases. It is ascertained that Mombasa is the hub of both child molestation and prostitution in Kenya given that international tourists from Europe engage in such habits as a way of entertainment. Accommodation Tourists that visit Mombasa have access to a significant number of accommodation places that fall within the reach of the town. There are a good number of world class hotels as well as guest houses that are positioned within the numerous sections of the town. Subsequently, there are numerous backpackers like Mombasa and Nirvana Backpackers that offer accommodation in dorms, double and single rooms as well as in camping sites out in the open with fully-fledged levels of security personnel (Wikitravel, 2013). It is important to establish that there are different levels of accommodation services that befits different people income prowess. For instance, world class hotels are priced highly to attract the high-end tourists while backpackers are meant for group tourists in order to cut down on their accommodation costs. Transport Transport is mainly by sea or air. Mombasa port receives a good number of tourists from abroad that visit from the Indian Ocean while Mombasa Airport serves tourists that opt to use air transport. All of these facilities are positioned near the town. At the destination, Matatus are a core means of transport between different sections of the town. There is also a railway service at their discretion (Wikitravel, 2013). Gastronomical Experiences There are numerous restaurants that serve foreign foods. This means that tourists are able to access the food they eat back at home in Mombasa. Swahili foods and drinks are also available for those that wish to try the local cuisine. Purpose of Promotion Promotion is a process applied by entities or persons in order to raise awareness of certain products within a given market hence catapult their level of sales (Mulhern 2009, p.87). Promotion of Mombasa is conducted through websites where information detailing all of its attractions are placed. It also entails international trade shows where products and services available in Kenya are showcased to potential tourists in Europe, Asia and other sections. Postcard Interpretation (Exhibit 1) The Postcard above postulates a beach within the Indian Ocean that is mostly frequented by both local and international based tourists. White sand beaches are a common phenomenon in both the north and south coast of the town. Notwithstanding, most of the international tourists that visit Mombasa are the Germans (Akama & Kieti 2007, p.736). Conclusion From the discussion above, it can be seen that Mombasa is a destination that is favorably positioned in Kenya to attract large number of tourists across the globe. The destination rich’s historical background facilitated its current position as the leading tourist attraction center in the whole of Eastern Africa. The town enjoys a great number of attraction features like Fort Jesus, tropical beaches and marine parks. Tourism has been able to impact the lives of these in both positive and negative ways. The economic conditions of the residents are deplorable due to access to drugs, unemployment and higher illiteracy levels. Notwithstanding, Mombasa Kenya is a perfect tourist destination across Africa and the world over. REFERENCES Akama, J, S & Kieti, D. 2007. ‘Tourism and socio-economic development in developing countries: A case study of Mombasa resort in Kenya’, Journal of Sustainable Tourism, vol.15, no. 6, pp.735-748 Mulhern, F.2009. ‘Integrated marketing communications: from media channels to digital connectivity’. Journal of Marketing Communications, vol.15, no 3, pp. 86-87 Planetware. 2014. 10 top-rated tourist attractions in Mombasa, Viewed 26 October 2014, http://www.planetware.com/tourist-attractions-/mombasa-ken-cst-momb.htm Tourists Map Kenya. N.d, A map of Mombasa county, viewed 26 October 2014, http://www.touristmapskenya.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90&Itemid=106 Weaver, D & Lawton, L 2010, Tourism management, 4th edn, John Wiley & Sons, Milton, Queensland Wikitravel. 2013. Mombasa. Viewed 25 October 2014, http://wikitravel.org/en/Mombasa Sample Brochure The first picture shows the locals with camels, which are used as a source of riding for pleasure in the sandy beaches. The second picture is of a local Masaai man traversing the shores of the ocean. The Masaai are known for selling Mombasa Sandals. The third picture shows an international tourist relaxing and enjoying a sun bath at one of the local world class facilities. This is an indication that the town enjoys a great number of world class facilities. Some of the notable important addresses that tourist can use to book accommodation and also, enjoy tour packages are below; i) Mombasa Backpackers, Mwamba Drive, Mtwapa Rd; Nyali. Phone contacts: +254701561233 ii) Bechara Guest House, Haile Selassie Rd(Cnr Digo Rd): Phone Contacts: 0738130386 Picture Reference For Exhibit 1: Accessed on 25 October 2014: https://www.google.com/search?q=mombasa&client=firefox-a&hs=FC1&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&imgil=rBZ2UiZ_NkXLfM%253A%253BWW-L8wlfGu7ALM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fcommons.wikimedia.org%25252Fwiki%25252FFile%25253ANyali_Beach_from_the_Reef_Hotel_during_high_tide_in_Mombasa%25252C_Kenya_36.jpg&source=iu&pf=m&fir=rBZ2UiZ_NkXLfM%253A%252CWW-L8wlfGu7ALM%252C_&usg=__fs6G5Uvqx_AzAw6Zo1pSKUX5fIQ%3D&biw=911&bih=345&ved=0CEAQyjc&ei=cvNNVOC5B9e58gWgvYHYAg#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=rBZ2UiZ_NkXLfM%253A%3Bmo42Z6Jiucm2QM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fgezimanya.com%252Fsites%252Fdefault%252Ffiles%252FlokasyonResimleri%252Fmombasa.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fgezimanya.com%252Fkenya%252Fmombasa%3B4608%3B3072 Brochure Pictures Accessed; https://www.google.com/search?q=mombasa&client=firefox-a&hs=hS1&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&channel=sb&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=bvdNVOW2NIj38QXpjoDoBA&ved=0CDQQsAQ&biw=911&bih=345 Read More