Integrating Tourism with Rural Development Strategies in Western Kenya

Abstract

Tourism being one of the most intriguing sustainable development themes has become popular economic development tool in many countries today. Tourism related activities are widely regarded as key-tools for rural development, especially in developing countries. Those villages with specific natural or social-cultural appeal have strong potential for attracting tourists from close or far off areas and this can have significant role in rural development. This research sought to find out ways through which tourism can be integrated with rural development strategies in Western Kenya and what the resultant benefits of the integration could be in the long run to the local communities studied. Focus group discussion (FGD) was used to obtain in-depth information describing integration of tourism with rural development. The FGDs participants were derived from hospitality and tourism enterprises in the region, community based organizations (CBOs), and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) concerned with rural development in Western Kenya. A total of twenty seven participants were obtained for FGDs. Poverty was adversely mentioned by the participants as the major challenge which still inhibits rural development in the western Kenya. Finally this research suggests measures for the tourism policy planners in Western Kenya.