Ecotourism Development and Challenges: A Kenyan Experience

Abstract

The word ecotourism, as noted by Western in 1992, emerged from terms like nature tourism and wildlife tourism to become a universal conservation catchword, an exemplar of sustainable use. The reassuring prefix gave nature tourism the legitimacy and recognition it lacked. Ecotourism potentially provides a sustainable approach to development. The benefits of ecotourism include an enhanced appreciation of natural environments, in terms of their intrinsic and economic worth for protection and conservation; the educational value of exposing visitors and locals to nature and conservation; and the potential of ecotourism to motivate the designation of additional natural areas for conservation and protection. Ecotourism has grown both vertically and laterally the past three decades. This article, therefore, highlights the: 1) issues that have defined the growth and practice of ecotourism, 2) selected ecotourism case studies, 3) challenges faced in marketing the product in Kenya over the last decade, and 4) security issues and reimaging. At a time when there is immense pressure on the environment, an immeasurable quest for benefits by communities, an increased search for interactive experiences by visitors, and great innovation by tourism businesses is needed and should be aimed at interpreting the practices that enhance connectivity between the partners of ecotourism.