| Peer-Reviewed

Local Community Involvement and Participation in Avitourism: A Case of Arabuko Sokoke Forest in Kenya

Received: 30 July 2022    Accepted: 25 August 2022    Published: 31 August 2022
Views:       Downloads:
Abstract

Avitourism in the Kenyan Coast has received little research attention. This study examined issues relating to the level of local community involvement in avitourism in Arabuko Sokoke forest in Kilifi County. An adapted community involvement framework was used to assess community involvement with other stakeholders in relation to avitourism activities and programs by collecting the views of both the local community and other external avitourism stakeholders. Results indicate that although the community is willing to participate in avitourism, lack of knowledge, limited economic resources and the poor negotiation skills of local tour guides has dis-empowered them from maximally benefiting from their guiding services. Furthermore, collaboration and partnership among the different key avitourism stakeholders had brought positive development results on the prospects of avitourism growth in Arabuko Sokoke forest. Limited avitourism funding was noted to be a major challenge, however, safety and security of avitourism projects was adequately guaranteed. Both state agencies and the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have greatly supported the community in avitourism through capacity building and funding with little contribution from the county government of Kilifi. For the success and growth of avitourism in the study area, conservation and marketing of Arabuko Sokoke forest as an avitourism destination need to be up scaled and the local community need to be assisted in capacity building, marketing, negotiation skills, training and funding as well as awareness creation, while the county government of Kilifi should play its rightful roles.

Published in International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management (Volume 6, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.ijhtm.20220602.11
Page(s) 24-30
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Avitourism, Dis-empowered, Guiding, Involvement, Arabuko Sokoke Forest

References
[1] Arabuko Sokoke Forest Management Team (2002). Tropical forest budget line contract – B-7-5041/95-07/VIII.
[2] Bernardon, B. & Nassar, P. M. (2012). Bird watching in the Mamiraua Lake as an appeal to ecotourists/birdwatchers. UAKARI 8 (2), 49-64.
[3] Biggs, D., Turpie, J., Fabricius, C. & Spenceley, A. (2011). The value of avitourism for conservation and job creation – An analysis from South Africa. Conservation and Society 9 (1), 80-90.
[4] Biggs, D. (2010). The economic feasibility of developing local Guides for blue Swallow Nature Heritage site in Kaapsehoop. A report to the Blue Swallow Workin Group-Endangered Wildlife Trust and Birdlife South Africa.
[5] Bird Life International, (2021). IUCN Red List for birds. Accessed at http://datazone.birdlife.org/ on 19/07/21.
[6] Bonta, M. (2010). Ornithophilia: Thoughts on geography in birding. The Geographical. Review 100 (2), 139-151.
[7] Cocker, M. and D. Tipping, (2013) Birds and people. Random House, London.
[8] Collar NJ, Long AJ, Robles Gil P, Rojo J. (2007). Birds and people: bonds in a timeless journey. CEMEXAgrupación Sierra Madre-Bird Life International, Mexico City.
[9] Connell, J. (2009). Birdwatching, twitching and tourism: towards an Australian perspective. Australian Geographer 40 (2), 203-217.
[10] Cordell, H. K. & Herbert, N. G. (2002). The popularity of birding is still growing. Birding 34 (1), 54-61.
[11] Drake, S. P. (2011). Local participation in ecotourism projects. In: Nature tourism. (Ed. Whetan, T.) 132-156. USA: Island Press.
[12] Glowinski, S. L. (2005). Bird watching ecotourism and economic development. A review of the evidence appl. Res. Eco. Dev. 5, 65-77.
[13] Green, R. & Jones D. N. (2010). Practices, Needs and Attitudes of bird watching tourismin Australia. CRC. For |Sustainable Tourism Brisbane: Griffith University.
[14] Jones, D. N. and Nealson, T. (2005). Impacts of bird watching on communities and species: long-term and short-term responses in rainforest and eucalyptus habitats. Brisbane: CRC for Sustainable Tourism.
[15] Kavanagh, J. (2017). A folding Pocket Guide to Familiar Species (Wildlife and National identification). NBN Press, 1st edition.
[16] Kerlinger P. (1993). Birding economics and birder demographics studies as conservation tools. In: Finch DM, Stangel PW (eds) Status and management of Neotropical migratory birds: September 21–25, 1992, Estes Park, Colorado. Gen Tech Rep RM- 229. Rocky Mountain Forest and Range Experiment Station, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Forest Service, Fort Collins, pp 32–38. https://www.fs.usda.gov/treesearch/pubs/22885.
[17] Kiragu, M., Butchart, S. H. M., Munyekenye, F. B., Bennun, L. A., Evans, M. I., Fishpool, L. D. C., Kanyanya, E., Madindou, I., Machekele, J., Matiku, P., Mulwa, R., Negara, A., Siele, J. and stattersfield, A, J. (2011). Tracking trends in key sites for bio diversity: a case study using Important Bird Areas in Kenya, Birds conserve. Int.
[18] Kiss, A. (2004). Is community based ecotourism a good use of biodiversity conservation fund? Trends in ecology and evolution 19. 232-237.
[19] Kenya Wildlife Service (2013). Arabuko Sokoke Forest Elephant conservation Action Plan (2013 – 2023).
[20] Moss, S. (2004). A bird in the bush: A social history of birdwatching. London: Aurum Press.
[21] Naidoo, R. and W. L. Adamowicz (2005). Biodiversity and Nature based tourism at forest in Uganda. Environment and Development economics 10: 159-178.
[22] Newsome, D. (2005). Enhancing the avitourism potential of the Boondall Wetlands, Queensland. In Western Australian Section, Sustainable Tourism Cooperative Research Centre Industry Forum, 14 October, Perth, Western Australia.
[23] Paluch R (2012). Strict nature protection of Białowieża Forest—effectiveness and consequences. Przyrody Lasach 6: 326–337.
[24] Şekercioğlu, Ç. (2002). Impacts of birdwatching on human and avian communities. Environmental Conservation 29 (3), 282-289.
[25] Shaoliang, Y. (2017). Bird Watching tourism in Gaoligongshan National Nature Reserve, China. (Kathmandu).
[26] Spenceley, A. (2018). Local impacts of community - based tourism in Southern Africa. In: Responsible tourism: Critical issues for conservation and development (ed. Spenceley, A): 159-187. Earthscan: London and Sterling VA.
[27] Steven, R. & Castley, J. G. (2013). Tourism as a threat to critically endangered birds: global patterns and trends in conservation hotspots. Biodiversity and Conservation 22 (4), 1063-1082.
[28] Stoll, J. R., Ditton, R. B. & Eubanks Jr, T. L. (2005). Platte River birding and the spring migration: Humans, value, and unique ecological resources. Human Dimensions of Wildlife 11, 241-254.
[29] United Nations Sustainable Development Goals Report (2016). 19 July 2016. New York.
[30] UNWTO (2012). Ecotourism and protected areas, UNWTO.
[31] Wells, M. P. and K. E. Brandson. (2012). People and parks. Linking protected area management with local communities. World Bank/WWF /USAID. Washington DC, USA.
Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Koki Nyongesa Jairus, Pepela Anthony, Wamukota Andrew, Kidere Flaura. (2022). Local Community Involvement and Participation in Avitourism: A Case of Arabuko Sokoke Forest in Kenya. International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management, 6(2), 24-30. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20220602.11

    Copy | Download

    ACS Style

    Koki Nyongesa Jairus; Pepela Anthony; Wamukota Andrew; Kidere Flaura. Local Community Involvement and Participation in Avitourism: A Case of Arabuko Sokoke Forest in Kenya. Int. J. Hosp. Tour. Manag. 2022, 6(2), 24-30. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhtm.20220602.11

    Copy | Download

    AMA Style

    Koki Nyongesa Jairus, Pepela Anthony, Wamukota Andrew, Kidere Flaura. Local Community Involvement and Participation in Avitourism: A Case of Arabuko Sokoke Forest in Kenya. Int J Hosp Tour Manag. 2022;6(2):24-30. doi: 10.11648/j.ijhtm.20220602.11

    Copy | Download

  • @article{10.11648/j.ijhtm.20220602.11,
      author = {Koki Nyongesa Jairus and Pepela Anthony and Wamukota Andrew and Kidere Flaura},
      title = {Local Community Involvement and Participation in Avitourism: A Case of Arabuko Sokoke Forest in Kenya},
      journal = {International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management},
      volume = {6},
      number = {2},
      pages = {24-30},
      doi = {10.11648/j.ijhtm.20220602.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20220602.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijhtm.20220602.11},
      abstract = {Avitourism in the Kenyan Coast has received little research attention. This study examined issues relating to the level of local community involvement in avitourism in Arabuko Sokoke forest in Kilifi County. An adapted community involvement framework was used to assess community involvement with other stakeholders in relation to avitourism activities and programs by collecting the views of both the local community and other external avitourism stakeholders. Results indicate that although the community is willing to participate in avitourism, lack of knowledge, limited economic resources and the poor negotiation skills of local tour guides has dis-empowered them from maximally benefiting from their guiding services. Furthermore, collaboration and partnership among the different key avitourism stakeholders had brought positive development results on the prospects of avitourism growth in Arabuko Sokoke forest. Limited avitourism funding was noted to be a major challenge, however, safety and security of avitourism projects was adequately guaranteed. Both state agencies and the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have greatly supported the community in avitourism through capacity building and funding with little contribution from the county government of Kilifi. For the success and growth of avitourism in the study area, conservation and marketing of Arabuko Sokoke forest as an avitourism destination need to be up scaled and the local community need to be assisted in capacity building, marketing, negotiation skills, training and funding as well as awareness creation, while the county government of Kilifi should play its rightful roles.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

    Copy | Download

  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Local Community Involvement and Participation in Avitourism: A Case of Arabuko Sokoke Forest in Kenya
    AU  - Koki Nyongesa Jairus
    AU  - Pepela Anthony
    AU  - Wamukota Andrew
    AU  - Kidere Flaura
    Y1  - 2022/08/31
    PY  - 2022
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20220602.11
    DO  - 10.11648/j.ijhtm.20220602.11
    T2  - International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management
    JF  - International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management
    JO  - International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Management
    SP  - 24
    EP  - 30
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2640-1800
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijhtm.20220602.11
    AB  - Avitourism in the Kenyan Coast has received little research attention. This study examined issues relating to the level of local community involvement in avitourism in Arabuko Sokoke forest in Kilifi County. An adapted community involvement framework was used to assess community involvement with other stakeholders in relation to avitourism activities and programs by collecting the views of both the local community and other external avitourism stakeholders. Results indicate that although the community is willing to participate in avitourism, lack of knowledge, limited economic resources and the poor negotiation skills of local tour guides has dis-empowered them from maximally benefiting from their guiding services. Furthermore, collaboration and partnership among the different key avitourism stakeholders had brought positive development results on the prospects of avitourism growth in Arabuko Sokoke forest. Limited avitourism funding was noted to be a major challenge, however, safety and security of avitourism projects was adequately guaranteed. Both state agencies and the Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) have greatly supported the community in avitourism through capacity building and funding with little contribution from the county government of Kilifi. For the success and growth of avitourism in the study area, conservation and marketing of Arabuko Sokoke forest as an avitourism destination need to be up scaled and the local community need to be assisted in capacity building, marketing, negotiation skills, training and funding as well as awareness creation, while the county government of Kilifi should play its rightful roles.
    VL  - 6
    IS  - 2
    ER  - 

    Copy | Download

Author Information
  • Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya

  • Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya

  • Department of Environmental Studies and Community Development, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya

  • Department of Business and Economics, Pwani University, Kilifi, Kenya

  • Sections