Attitudes and perceptions towards ecotourism among pastoral communities in Laikipia county Kenya

Abstract

The Kenya rangelands are characterized by low income, poverty, low and unreliable rainfall and conflicts. Pastoral communities in these areas have developed land use diversification and livelihoods mechanisms to help them cope with these challenges. Ecotourism is one of the strategies these communities engage in with the aim of conserving the environment as well as generate income. However, there has been no empirical study done on issues about attitudes and perceptions of local communities, especially pastoral communities. This study was conducted in Laikipia County, which is a well-known tourism destination with facilities owned by the community and private developers. The main objective of the study was to assess the attitude and perception of local community towards ecotourism. The study used a sociological survey research design with 232 community members and 20 stakeholders. The research relied on primary and secondary data for information from which the analysis was conducted and conclusion generated. Primary data was collected through one-on-one interviews within households using structured questionnaires and focused group discussions using checklists. Quantitative data from questionnaires was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), Ms Excel and MINITAB. Findings suggested that there was a positive attitude among pastoral communities towards ecotourism in Laikipia as supported by 73.7% of the respondents while 79.3% of them perceived it as beneficial. The study also showed that there was an association of community members and stakeholders in ecotourism, given that all the stakeholders interviewed worked with the community with 73% providing employment to locals. Results also suggested that, generally, ecotourism positively affected the livelihoods of local communities, as pointed out by 93.7% of the respondents. The main conclusion of this study is that community’s attitudes and perception towards ecotourism are positive. As awareness and education level continue to improve, more community members begin to understand the importance of ecotourism and are willing to get involved. The success of community ecotourism business depends largely on the cooperation of the different stakeholders in the industry. Ecotourism has contributed positively to some community livelihood aspects like education, infrastructure and income. The findings of this study contribute to the knowledge of community perception towards ecotourism, and will help in understanding the roles of the different stakeholders in the industry.