Cultural Tourism in Kenya: A Systematic Review of Opportunities, Challenges, and Sustainable Development Pathways

Abstract

The landscape of cultural tourism in Kenya is explored by this systematic review with a keen focus on opportunities, challenges, and sustainable development pathways. With the application of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, empirical and theoretical literature from the past five years have been analysed by the review to identify key themes and evidence-based insights. Peer-reviewed journals, government reports, and institutional publications are some of the sources from which Studies were derived. Findings show a growing recognition of cultural tourism as a promoter of socio-economic development, particularly in regions like Mount Kenya. Nonetheless, Key Issues such as policy gaps, scarce infrastructure, and restricted community participation hinder its potential. The review concludes by highlighting critical areas for intervention and recommends multi-stakeholder collaboration, strategic policy frameworks, and sustainable practices to advance cultural tourism in Kenya