MUT Institutional Repository (IR)

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1. Journal Articles 1401 2. Books and Book Chapters 96 3. Theses & Dissertations 138 4. Conference/ Workshops /Seminar/ Proceedings 88 5. Institutional Memory 42 6. Speeches and Lectures 39 7. Policies / Reports / Statutes 3 8. Projects & Business plan 0 9. Government publications 0

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Access status: Open Access ,
Examining Kenya’s Tourist Destinations’ Appeal: the Perspectives of Domestic Tourism Market
(Journal of Tourism & Hospitality, 2012-09-30) Ndivo, Rayviscic Mutinda; Waudo, Judith N; Waswa, Fuchaka
Kenya’s tourism activity has always been centered on the coastal beaches and a few game parks despite of being endowed with a unique combination of tourist attractions spread throughout the country. Noting this skewed nature of tourism development, this study aimed at investigating the status of appeal of the different Kenya’s tourist regions from the perspective of the domestic market with the goal of examining the efficacy of the destination o s p i t t appeal enhancers. Data was collected using semi-structured questionnaires and analysed using mainly descriptive statistics. The study found out that while majority of Kenyans considered taking a holiday as being important to them, a significant majority of them were not be aware of most of the country’s touristic attractions and hence, frequented only a few of the country’s attractions, mainly the coastal beaches. Further, the study found out that the most important sources of travel information available to Kenyans were personal experience and information from significant others; travel marketers were considered as being the least significant source of information. The study thus, concluded that the limited scope of tourist activities available within most of Kenya’s attractions, coupled with the limited sources of travel information may actually be leading causes of the lack of awareness and popularity of most Kenya’s tourist attractions. This study thus, recommends a deliberate effort on the part of the tourism policy makers and marketers to enhance the appeal of all the country’s attractions and position them as destinations in their own right. This would call for the adoption of a tourism development strategy that not only seeks to promote the country as one destination with varied tourist attractions, but one that would adopt a bottom-up approach, primarily focusing on developing the individual tourist attractions as a way of ensuring a country-wide competitiveness.
Access status: Open Access ,
Application of destination choice model: Factors influencing domestic tourists destination choice among residents of Nairobi, Kenya
(Tourism Management, 2012-12) Ndivo, Rayviscic Mutinda; Mayaka, Melphon
The objective of this study was to assess the status of Kenya's tourist destinations and the factors that determine their choices among the residents of Nairobi. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design that covered 118 respondents randomly selected from adult patrons at an up-market shopping mall in Nairobi. Data were collected using self-administered questionnaires. The Hypotheses were tested using chi-squares and Pearson Product–Moment Correlation at 95% confidence level. The results indicated that tourism in Kenya is almost exclusively centred on the south coast beaches and a handful of game reserves or national parks. The Kenya's domestic tourist market considered individual trait factors as being more significant in determining the choice of a holiday destination than the environmental factors. The findings further indicated that the factors that motivated Nairobi residents in the choice of domestic tourism destination in rank order include: knowledge and adventure; economic concerns; personal safety; destination information; travel arrangement; destination features; family and friends; leisure and relaxation; religious and cultural considerations and travel bragging. Statistical tests failed to reject the hypothesis that majority of Kenya's domestic tourist attraction areas do not fall within the evoked set of the destination choice model.
Access status: Open Access ,
From National to Regional TourismDevelopment Focus in Kenya: Examiningthe Challenges and Opportunities
(Tourism Planning & Development, 2013) Ndivo, Rayviscic Mutinda; Waudo, Judith; Waswa, Andfuchaka
Despite Kenya’s unique combination of tourist attractions spread throughout the country, the tourism activity in the country has always been almost exclusively centred on two geographical regions: the coastal beaches and a handful of game reserves and national parks. The goal of this study was thus to examine the reasons for the country’s skewed tourism development and explore strategies for addressing the skew. The study was primarily based on a documentary review of existing empirical and ofﬁcial government reports and other related documents. The study revealed key factors as being responsible for the lopsided development of Kenya’s tourism. First and foremost, the country’s tourism development policy proved to be a leading obstacle to the development of the country’s tourist attractions and regions. Further, the centralised focus of Kenya’s tourism planning, governance and marketing was also noted as being responsible for the skewed tourism development in the country. In addition, there was an evident lack of consensus on the demarcation of the different tourist regions in the country by the key tourism development agencies and stakeholders. It was also noted that Kenya lacks a tourism master plan, a roadmap to guide the development of the industry. Other factors included a lack of awareness of the different attractions in the country and the passive role of tourism marketers in packaging and promoting the different tourist attractions in the country, only concentrating on the traditionally popular ones. The study thus recommends the adoption of a regional tourism development focus in Kenya that would facilitate the development and positioning of the different tourist attractions and regions as destinations in their own right. Unlike the centralised approach, this model would recognise the varied needs, level of maturity and vision of each region and be supported within the context of the existing national and county framework.
Access status: Open Access ,
The strategic response by travel agents in Kenya to opportunities and threats of ICT developments
(African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure, 2015) Kibe, Judy Wangari; Ndivo, Rayviscic Mutinda
While the advent of ICT has produced mixed results for the travel agency businesses, one of the differentiating factors has been how different businesses have strategically responded to the new business environment. In view of the threats and opportunities presented by ICTs to the travel sector, this study sought to examine the different strategies adopted by the travel agents in Kenya in an effort to strategically reposition themselves. The survey was conducted among 55 travel agency operators in Nairobi, Kenya using a semi-structured questionnaire. The study found out that travel agents in Kenya have adopted a number of ICT innovations to stay afloat. Among the most significant strategic innovations has been the travel agent’s increased client focus as opposed to focus on service providers. This has seen the travel agents forge close relationships with their clients through both online and offline approaches. It is imperative to note that investing in customers and developing a strong relationship marketing strategy to attract and retain them is the new area of competitiveness today. This study thus provides a new perspective to the strategic response of travel agencies to macro-environmental threats and opportunities presented by current developments in ICTs.
Access status: Open Access ,
ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT OF COMMUNITIES THROUGH TOURISM: A PRO-POOR TOURISM VALUE CHAIN APPROACH
(Advances in Hospitality and Tourism Research (AHTR), 2015-12-31) Ndivo, Rayviscic Mutinda; Cantoni, Lorenzo
A number of constraints continue to limit participation of the local people to tourism and travel activities in the less and developing countries. Addressing such constraints has over time formed the focus of development paradigms in these countries. This paper uses analytical literature review for identifying the appropriate strategies promoting host community participation and the benefits of tourism development by giving particular emphasis on less and developing countries. Specifically, the paper critiques pro-poor tourism (PPT) and tourism value chain (TVC) approaches, in view of their feasibility for ensuring that tourism benefits the poor within the host community. By demonstrating their inherent limitations and strengths as models for empowering poor communities, the paper proposes an integrated model -Pro-Poor Tourism Value Chain- that integrates the strengths of both PPT and TVC approaches into a single framework. This framework would find important policy and practical application in enhancing economic participation of host communities in tourism. To realise this goal, the paper recommends mapping of appropriate TVC nodes, identification of intervention strategies for increasing benefits arising to those already participating in the TVC, and developing capacity of those not involved through pro-poor affirmative initiatives.