Browsing by Author "Chepkemei, Charity"

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    Influence of Sports Events Hosting on Tourism Development in Uasin Gishu County, Kenya
    (Kenyatta University, 2024-06) Chepkemei, Charity
    In the 21st century, tourism destinations, including Kenya, use sports events hosting to enhance their tourism sectors. Hosting sports events helps Kenya revitalize its tourism industry, communicate revitalization plans, and align with Vision 2030 goals for long-term tourism development. However, the empirical study on the viability of hosting sports events as a tourism product in Kenya has been overlooked. Thus, the current study examined sports events hosting influence on tourism development in Uasin Gishu County-Kenya. Three specific objectives guided the study: (i) to determine the influence of the local community involvement in sports events hosting on tourism development in Uasin Gishu County, (ii) to assess the influence of sports events hosting as a branding identity tool on tourism development in Uasin Gishu County, and (iii) to identify the influence of sports events' hosting challenges on tourism development in Uasin Gishu County. Social exchange theory was adopted in this study. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design. The study’s target population was local community members living in Eldoret and its metropolitan areas, and key informants were drawn from hotels, event-organizers, and sports and tourism county officials. A simple random sampling approach was used to sample the locals and sports tourists, while a purposive sampling technique was utilized to select key informants. The sample size of the study was 552 respondents, consisting of 384 locals, 152 sports tourists, six (6) event managers, eight (8) hotel managers, and two (2) tourism county officials from Uasin Gishu County. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used for the collection of data. The quantitative data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of percentages, means and standard deviations statistics of correlation and regression analyses. Qualitative data followed a text/content analysis, after which the responses were grouped as theses and integrated into the discussion of quantitative findings. The findings revealed that local community involvement (r=0.723, p=0.000), sports events hosting as a branding identity (r=0.534, p=0.000), and sports events hosting challenges (r=0.480, p=0.000) exhibited a positive and statistically significant relationship with tourism development in Uasin Gishu County. Further, although the three variables positively influenced tourism development, local community involvement was the most adamant predictor (R²=52.2%), and all three dimensions of sports events hosting caused a 57.2% variation in tourism development in Uasin Gishu County. The study concludes that hosting sports events influenced tourism development in Uasin Gishu County. The study recommends using a macro approach to involve locals and a thorough global benchmark on the best’s sports events and hosting practices. Further, the study recommends a multi-agency approach to curbing corruption, doping, mismanagement, and inadequate training facilities and financial resources in sports events hosted in Kenya. There is a need to nurture sports events to be hosted as a tourist product, recognized, and marketed to diversify Kenyan tourism products’ portfolio and increase the competitiveness of Uasin Gishu County as a preferred sports tourism destination
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    Sporty Moments and Tourism Development: The Involvement of Local Community in Sports Events Hosting
    (Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Management, 2023) Chepkemei, Charity
    In the 21st century, sports events hosting has emerged as a strategic tool for enhancing tourism sectors in various destinations, including Kenya. Despite this, academic research on the viability of sports events hosting as a tourism product in Kenya has been limited. Therefore, this study aims to explore the influence of local community involvement in sports events hosting on tourism development in Uasin Gishu County, with a specific focus on the urban area of Eldoret and its metropolitan regions. The study's theoretical foundation is based on social exchange theory. The research design adopts a cross-sectional approach, with 552 respondents. The sample includes 384 locals, 152 sports tourists, six event managers, eight hotel managers, and two tourism county officials. Data collection involves questionnaires and interview schedules. Quantitative data is analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), employing descriptive and inferential analyses. Qualitative data undergoes text/content analysis, and its integration with quantitative findings is presented during the discussion. The study's findings reveal a positive and statistically significant relationship between local community involvement in hosting sports events and tourism development (r=0.723, p=0.000). Impressively, local community involvement accounts for 52.2% of the variability in tourism development. Based on these results, the study concludes that local community involvement significantly influences hosting sports events and is associated with regional tourism development. To optimize the benefits derived from hosting sports events, the study recommends adopting a local community-centered approach in managerial, policy, and marketing aspects. By incorporating macro-level involvement through community groups and individual participation, a more equitable distribution of benefits can be achieved, fostering tourism development.