RP-Department of Tourism Management

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Influence of Destination Brand Image and Stakeholders’ Role on Wildlife Parks’ Attractiveness in the Amboseli-Tsavo Ecosystem, Kenya
(SAGE, 2024-06) Omolo, Okumu Paul; Akinyi, Amwata Dorothy; Bulitia, Mathews Godrick; Wandaka, K.M. John
Wildlife-based tourism significantly contributes to Kenya's tourism industry, particularly through attractions like the Big Five: elephant, lion, rhino, buffalo, and leopard. In 2019, the tourism sector directly contributed 8.8% to Kenya’s GDP, amounting to KES 790 billion (USD 7.9 billion), and created over 1.1 million jobs, representing 8.3% of the national job market. Despite the extensive protected areas in the Amboseli-Tsavo Ecosystem, visitor numbers remain suboptimal, limiting its socio-economic potential. This study explores how destination brand image and stakeholder roles influence the attractiveness of wildlife parks in this ecosystem. Using an embedded mixed-method research design, data were collected from 440 park visitors, 54 tourism managers, and 28 tourism experts through stratified, convenience, and purposive sampling. Reliability was tested using Cronbach’s Alpha, and data analysis involved descriptive statistics, regression analyses, and thematic analysis. Findings showed that cognitive, affective, and conative images significantly influence park attractiveness, explaining 49.9% of the variance. Park visitors rated the parks highly in terms of beauty, likelihood of revisiting, attractiveness, and overall satisfaction. The study recommends robust monitoring and evaluation to enhance marketing efforts and suggests further research on destination competitiveness and stakeholder collaboration.
Effectiveness of Compensation Recovery Strategies in Enhancing Customer Experience in Star-Rated Hotels in Mombasa County, Kenya
(MJTUM, 2023-12) Keya, Judith; Pepela, Anthony; Kivuva, Alex
Since today’s customers not only purchase goods and services for their utilitarian but also hedonistic benefits, service recovery has become an integral part of any hotel that wishes to remain competitive. In a bid to remain competitive, most hotels have developed service systems. However, none of the systems in place are perfect. Though compensation has been proposed as a means of securing competitive advantage, scant evidence exist suggesting that the same can be used as recovery strategies to enhance customer experience. While using star rated hotels in Mombasa, Kenya, this study sought to adduce the effectiveness of compensation recovery strategies in enhancing customer experience using descriptive research design. Staff from10 front-line sections within the 17 rated hotels in Mombasa County formed the sampling frame. Data were collected by the use of an on-line questionnaire due to COVID-19 pandemic that prevailed during the study period. A pre-test of the questionnaire was done on one of the hotels, and the results were subjected to the Cronbach formula producing a reliability index of 0.989. Data were analysed by the use of inferential and descriptive statistics and the findings presented in tables, bar graphs and pie charts. From the findings, descriptive analysis on customer experience indicated that front line managers agreed and strongly agreed that when customers are pleased with their recovery effort, they receive referrals from them, they spend more money in the establishment, they show eagerness to return on, they become more loyal, they share with others about the good services, and they trust that any offer given to them in the future will go right. Descriptive analysis on the dimensions of the three strategies (compensation, staff actions, and communication strategies) produced high means and low standard deviations, indicating that front-line managers often and always applied the three recovery strategies whenever a failure occurred. The regression analysis of the three hypotheses indicated that the three strategies have a statistically significant influence on the customer experience if used effectively. Other than advancing scholarly work in the field of service recovery, the findings inform Kenya’s Ministry of Tourism and hotel stakeholders as a whole by guiding in policy review and formulation so as to help in minimizing service failures. Key Words: Effectiveness, Compensation, Recovery strategies, Service recovery Paradox model, Customer experience, Rated hotels Introduction Though hotel operators continuously work hard to achieve competitive advantages over their rivals, it is extremely hard to offer customers a reliable, first-time, errorfree service. This is because of the nature of services (Ali et al., 2021) and the high degree of personal interaction between customers and employees (Ali et al., 2021), thus the need of service recovery. Service recovery involves actions taken by an organization in response to service failure (Zeithaml & Bitner, 2009). In Kenya, the hospitality industry, one of the top three revenue earners among Kenya’s economic sectors, is driven by S
The Luxury Yacht Charter Market and Sustainable Brand Image: The Case of Sunreef
(Emerald Publishing, 2023-03) Seraphin, Hugues; Maing, Shem Wambugu
Purpose – Drive, power and consciousness are the corner stones for the long-term sustainability of any industry. In the luxury yachting industry, the objective of this study is to evidence through the case of sunreed yachting that environmental innovation in the yachting industry has been key to sustainability. Design/methodology/approach – As a case study central to this paper, Sunreef has reconciled key luxury sustainability indicators to improve its brand image. This article adopted a case study approach to provide a systematic documentary analysis of online materials. It is also supported by a critical review of recent literature. Findings – Beyond reconciling the three core components of any long-term sustainable strategy, the paper provides evidence that luxury yachting can operate without impacting negatively on the environment and local population, providing it is fully aware of the challenges faced by the planet in terms of sustainability, and that everyone has a role to play in achieving sustainability (consciousness) and also a willingness (driver) to invest in research and development (power). Originality/value – This paper addresses the sustainability challenge in the luxury yachting industry. The case of Sunreef Yachts Eco has shown that green communication and innovations are able to reverse the unsustainable ecological trends in the yachting industry. This paper argues that “green activism” is the key encapsulating all the approaches by Sunreef, linking “consciousness”, “power” and “drivers” in sustainability yachtin
Influence of Cognitive Destination Brand Image on Wildlife Park Attractiveness: A Case Study of the Amboseli-Tsavo Ecosystem, Kenya
(IJRISS, 2023) Okumu, Paul O.; Amwata, Dorothy A.; Bulitia, Mathews Godrick; Wandaka, John K.M.
The attractiveness of a holiday destination motivates the development and growth of tourism in terms of tourists’ perceived value; however, the attractiveness of wildlife protected places, such as game parks, is little understood in previous tourism literature. The paper therefore explores the role of cognitive destination brand image on the attractiveness of wildlife parks in the Amboseli-Tsavo Ecosystem. The results showed a significant positive relationship between cognitive destination image and park attractiveness (β = 0.446, t = 6.661, p = .001). The study concludes that tourists exhibiting higher levels of cognitive destination image are more likely to perceive a tourist destination as being attractive. An embedded mixed-method research design was adopted to collect quantitative and qualitative data from 440 park visitors and 28 tourism experts. Simple and linear regressions were used to test the hypotheses, whereas qualitative data were analyzed using content analyses. This study aims to add to knowledge to tourism marketing literature on wildlife park attractiveness as perceived by tourists and gives recommendation on policy of controlling the provision of accommodation, attractions or activities within the protected parks to safeguard the ecosystem.
Strategies Adopted in Adventure Tourism Product Diversification in Sustainable Tourism Development in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya
(Academia edu, 2018) Morong’, Dorice Ronoh; Kariuki, Albert Chege; Bitok, Jane
Tourism as a sector of the economy is used by most countries in the advocacy of economic development. Most of the adventure tourists/visitors travel to rural areas to experience natural wonders of the world which are prominently features such as great waterfalls, volcanic phenomena, and geological phenomena like caves or spectacular views. This study investigated the strategies adopted in adventure tourism product diversification for sustainable tourism development in Elgeyo Marakwet County, Kenya. The study employed descriptive research design in which the target population included 2 County government officials, 1 national government representative, 1 Kerio Valley Development Authority (KVDA) official, 1,250 Athletes (High Altitude camp), 3 hotel managers, 4,876 tourists, 3 private investors and 24,450 community members. The sample size for each category was determined and distributed proportionately as follows: Community Members were 316, tourists 63 and athletes 16. Census approach was used for County Government Officials, National Government official (Tourism Regulatory Officer), KVDA (tourism officer), hotel managers and private investors since they were few in number. Therefore, the total sample size was 405 respondents. Purposive sampling strategy was utilized to choose the respondents for every one of the Community Members, tourists and athletes. Questionnaires and interview guides were used to collect the data. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics techniques. Results revealed that adventure products influenced tourism diversification in Elgeyo Marakwet County. Some of the prominent adventure products included paragliding sports on the escarpments of Elgeyo Marakwet County, cycling, trekking, camping (Rimoi National reserve) caves (Kiplachoch cave in Kapyego Marakwet East Sub county), Torok falls situated at high cliff, Teren rapids with pot like shapes, Kipkabus dam, Chebloch George, Kipteber hills, hanging valley and birds migratory. It was recommended that there was need to focus on new adventure products should be encouraged in order to increase tourism diversity. Policies on adventure tourism should be formulated and implemented to increase the diversification of tourism
Influence of Interpersonal Communication on Hotel Performance: A Case of Classified Hotels along the Kenyan Coastal Tourism Hub
(IJRISS, 2023) Achieng, Sylvia A.; Pepela, Anthony W.
Kenya’s coast is a renowned tourism hub, thanks to its natural beaches, a serene environment and worldclass hotels. Unfortunately, these hotels’ average check has been inconsistent. Insecurity, seasonality challenges, and frequent travel advisories have been pointed out as some of the contributing factors to the trend. Interestingly, other destinations facing similar challenges bounce back so fast thanks to their inventive approaches to reducing guest churn. It is not clear whether Kenya’s coastal classified hotels have adopted such strategies. This study sought to assess whether communication approaches could improve hotel performance in classified hotels in Kenya’s coastal tourism hub. It targeted hotel guests of the 15 classified hotels in Mombasa County, based on a descriptive research design. A stratified sampling technique was adopted where three strata based on the hotels’ star ratings were formed settling on the 384 guests, 26 for each of the hotels. Both a questionnaire and an interview schedule were developed for data collection. The results revealed that there was a significant relationship between interpersonal communication and hotel performance in classified hotels in Mombasa County (R=0.795; P=0.000) These findings serve as a red flag to classified hotel managers to re-innovate interpersonal communication strategies used to maximize hotel performance.
Selecting Non-Classified Hotels in Kenya: What Really Matters for Business Guests?
(AJHTL, 2014) Kivuva, Alex K.; Kihima, Bonface O.; Nzioka, Alice M.
Non-classified hotels, which comprise small hotels and guest houses, are important accommodation providers offering limited services and products as compared to the classified hotels. Through guest satisfaction, they can achieve repeat business and also get new business through word of mouth from previous guests. The main focus is for the hoteliers to know exactly the determinants of selection of hotels by their guests. In this case, the focus was on non-classified hotels in Mtwapa town at the Kenyan coast. The study adopted a cross-sectional descriptive survey design. Results from this study clearly indicate that all aspects of hotel operations are important to business guests’ selection of a non-classified hotel. However, it was revealed that this was not on equal basis. Results indicate that the core product (guestroom comfortability), hygiene and cleanliness were the most important factors in determining guests’ selection of where to stay. This research therefore suggests that any efforts towards quality improvement in a hotel should focus primarily on ensuring customer satisfaction with the guestroom. While acknowledging the importance of all aspects of hotel operations, managers should recognize the importance of the guestroom and its facilities towards hotel selection and overall customer satisfaction. Therefore, it is imperative that managers channel their resources towards improving guest services in the guestrooms in accordance with the requirements of the clientele. This includes such aspects as the look of the guest rooms, facilities provided in the guest rooms and comfortability of the bed and mattress.
Relationship between Employee Retention Strategies and Career Sustainability in Travel and Tour Firms in Mombasa County, Keny
(Research Publishing Academy (RPA), 2019) Kipkosgei, Bitok; Nzioka, Alice Mueni; Munyiri, Esther Kagure
Employees in organizations that have mechanisms for employee retention can experience higher career sustainability. However, there is limited literature that can provide more understanding on the link between employee retention and career sustainability. The specific objectives of this study were to assess the effect of employee retention strategies on career sustainability in the travel and tour companies. This study was grounded on Super’s Self-Concept Theory, Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory and Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory. The target population was comprised of 2,800 employees from 121 tour operator companies and 40 travel agent companies in the county. Using mixed research methods; stratified random sampling technique was used to select respondents to participate in the study. Interview schedules were conducted on 20 human resource managers and questionnaires administered to 350 tours and travel agency company employees. Four questionnaires were not filled fully, thus 346 fully filled questionnaires were used in the analysis. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used. The study findings showed that employee retention strategies [r = 0.788, n = 346, p = 0.000] have a stronger influence on career sustainability. This study provides the government through its Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) with significant information for formulation of policies that would encourage career sustainability among employees in the travel and tour companies. The government should take appropriate measures in terms of examining workplace efforts to increase employee retention, career sustainability, passion and productivity in the long term.
Sustainable Tourism and Economic Growth Nexus in Kenya: Policy Implications for Post-Covid-19
(Goodwood Publishing, 2020) Bitok, Kipkosgei
Purpose: The COVID-19 global pandemic has caused an unprecedented socio-economic impact. It has also raised our awareness of the role sustainability needs to play in our economic activities. This study investigated how sustainable tourism has contributed to economic growth in Kenya. Research Methodology: Eviews 10 software was used to analyze the time-series data. Drawing on data from 1995 to 2020, Johansen co-integration, Granger causality, and regression approaches were used. Results: The study found out that tourism employment and GDP are positively connected to economic growth in Kenya. The causality was unidirectional from economic growth to tourism contribution to GDP and employment, with a long-run linkage of the study determinants. Limitations: Since this research used the secondary sources of data, similar studies in the future may concentrate on the primary data sources to investigate the relationship between tourism employment and economic advancement. Contribution: At the new normal in the post-Covid-19 period, the study suggests that legislators and tourism policymakers should focus on the policies aimed at promoting sustainable tourism. Sustainable tourism should be managed following the three pillars of sustainability.
Perceptions of Tourism Students towards Career Choice in the Kenyan Tourism Industry: A Comparative Study of Moi University and Kenya Utalii College
(AJTHLS, 2015) Kivuva, Alex K; Kipkosgei, Bitok
A number of researches investigating on tourism students’ career choices and course of study selection have been widely documented. However, few studies have been carried out focusing on the process and context in which the Kenyan students make decisions about their careers. The study sought to establish the types of tourism careers sectors preferred by most tourism students, especially for formal employment, informal employment and entrepreneurship. Cognitive Motivational Theory and Attribution Theory which identifies the impact of internal and external factors affecting student career decisions were adopted. This was a descriptive and comparative study that utilized qualitative and quantitative research methodology. From the total population of 660 persons, 192 student respondents were chosen for the study using stratified simple random sampling based on their year of study, and 5 lecturers with over five years experience in teaching were chosen purposively from Moi University (MU) and Kenya Utalii College (KUC). Questionnaires were administered to tourism students and semi-structured interviews to tourism lecturers. Data was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The results revealed that a large proportion of students at the diploma level opt to pursue entrepreneurship as compared to the undergraduates who opt for formal employment. This study can be academic and also relevant for policy making in developing countries through unmasking the complexities in designing tourism policies within different socio-economic settings. This research adds to the existing literature, moreso, on sustainability-driven employment and entrepreneurship as perceived by tourism students and developers on their roadmap to achieving Kenya’s Vision 2030.
Influence of Cultural Festivals and Custom Artifacts on Tourism Development in Baringo County, Kenya
(Stratford Peer Reviewed Journals and Book Publishing, 2018) Chebotibin, Diana; Munyiri, Esther; Bitok, Jane
Culture and tourism have a mutually beneficial relationship which can strengthen the attractiveness and competitiveness of regions and countries. In Kenya, Baringo is a melting pot of cultures and the many communities including the Pokot, Ilchamus, Tugen and a host of other Kenyan communities makes them ideal definition of social and cultural diversity. Although Baringo is known for cultural diversity, there is generally a danger of cultural tourism studies being productbased rather than market-based in the perspective of assessing tourism development. The study sought to establish the influence of cultural festivals and customs & artefacts on tourism development in Baringo County. Exploratory research design utilizing mixed method that is both qualitative and quantitative methods was used. The target unit of analysis was the 7 resort managers, 3 county government officials, 399 Community members and 395 tourists. The sample size used was 804 respondents. Data was collected by administration of questionnaires and interview guide. Data was analyzed using content analysis, descriptive and inferential statistics. Findings indicated that cultural festival was positively and significant related to tourism development (r=0.228, p=0.00). Result also indicated that customs & artefacts was positively and significant related to tourism development (r=0.223, p=0.00). The study recommended that cultural festivals should be prioritized in the tourism sector, so that it can boost tourism as well as conserving the culture. Customs & artefacts should be profiled and documented for easy access by the tourists.
Foreign Scholars Activities and Their Impacts on Sustainable Tourism Development in Nairobi Metropolis, Kenya
(Stratford Peer Reviewed Journals and Book Publishing, 2023) Bitok, Jane Jebet; Ondigi, Alice; Munyiri, Esther
Foreign scholars moveto international destinations and enrollin institutions for academic courses ofstudy. The students form apromising niche’ market and is the third export earner in Australia. Africa is endowed with unique geographical features which attract the students who enroll in programs such as; eco-tourism, heritage tourism, rural/farm tourism and student exchanges between educational institutions.Africa recognizes educational tourism as a promising niche’ market segment to cushion out the fluctuating numbers of other market segments. The region receives about 14% foreign scholars yearly to add to those existing in their institutions of learning. Kenya receives 50,000 of the students distributed as 1% admissions to public universities and 12% to private universities, a constant 200,000 international students annually. The reasons why scholars from developed nations do not prioritize Africa should be investigated toincrease Kenya’s market share. The study purposed to establish the tourist activities that are of interest to the scholars. Thescholars from all over the globe joinKenya’s institutions of higher learning and throughout their course of study, they will be attached to attraction sites either as part of their study or as leisure activities.UNESCO supports travel of students to foreign destinations in order to enhance and promote culture and international understanding. International students visit several tourist attraction sites and can be classified as oreign or local tourists. Questionnaires were administered to the scholars, the heads of foreign student offices were subjected in-depth interviews while the communities offering tourism participated in focus group discussions.Only 29.7% (98) had involved themselves with various activities in the communities while a considerable number (65.2%) did not involve themselves in the activities within host communities. However, there was a significant relationship between tourists’ activity options and sustainable tourism development, the P-value 0.029 (P-value<0.05). When tourists’ activity options and economic impact were cross tabulated, no significant relationship was displayed because P-value is 0.301 (P-value>0.05). Majority 58.7% of the students were self-driven to the local communities.The study shows that most of the activities linked to educational trips are organized in relation to the products of tourism available within destinations.
Potential Influence Of IS0 9001: 2000 Quality Management Principles on Service Quality in Kenya’s hotel industry
(Current Issues in African Tourism Research, 2017) Shirandula, Duncan; Barsulai, Stella
In this time of globalization and turbulent economic environment, hotel establishments in the world are required to implement new management approaches in order to provide high quality service. Implementation of quality management principles in Kenyan hotel establishments offers an opportunity to improve on the overall quality of service. This study explored the potential influence of ISO 9001: Quality Management Principleson service quality in the hotel industry in Kenya. The study employed co-relational research design. The target population was 300 employees and 80 middle level managersfrom selected star rated hotels in Nairobi city. Stratified and systematic sampling techniques wereadopted to identify the respondents for the study. Using a ten percent formula, the sample size was determined to be 30 first line employees and 8 middle level managers. Both primary and secondary sources of data were adopted. Structured questionnaires were used to collect primary data from the respondents while secondary data was collected from journals and hotel records. Reliability was measured using the Cronbach‘s Alpha at a level of 0.7%. Inferential and descriptive statisticswere used to analyze data. The findings of the study indicate a relationship between ISO 9001 and service quality (r = 0.5 p<0.001).In order to enhance service quality, recommendations are made to hotels to embrace accreditation under ISO 9001: 2000 Quality Management Systems
Relationship between Gender and Proactive Work Behavior in the Kenya’s Hotel Industry
(ResearchGate, 2017) Shirandula, Duncan; Mapelu, Isabella Cheloti; Sepula, Michael
According to Kenya National Bureau of Statistics report, (2016), wage employment by industry and sex statistics indicate a majority of males employed in the modern sector than female with accommodation and food service industry registering 71 percent males and 29 percent female employees. This disparity extended to women in national decision-making category, with slight improvement from previous years. Participation of men and women in key decision making positions in the national assembly was at 19.8 per cent of total legislators. The share of female cabinet secretaries declined from 33.3 per cent in 2014 to 25.5 per cent in 2015. The disparities could be attributed to many other factors, among them the employers‟ perceptions on proactive behaviour between gender and gender role expectations. The purpose of this research paper was to test the difference in proactive work behaviour between the male and female employees working in Nairobi business hotels. The study employed a co-relational research design. From a target population of 190 front line employees, 127 formed the sample size for the study. Primary data was gathered from employees by use of self-administered questionnaires while secondary data was gathered from relevant books, hotel records, journals, publications and the internet. Reliability of data was tested using Cronbach‟s Alpha resulting in a value 0.804. One way ANOVA test was conducted to test the differences in proactive work behavior between male employees and their female counterparts. The findings of this study do not show a difference in proactive work behaviour between male and female employees (F 1.312; p˃0.05). Based on the combination of literature review with the results of this study, it is clear that gender does not restrain proactive behaviour at work. Adoption of work practices which support gender parity can offer a good first step towards innovation and being proactive at work place. Being “nice” to women by opening doors and offering to pay their bills, does not make women feel included. There is need to do more by reflecting on work patterns and policies so as to entrench measures which provide in-depth support of gender parity at work places.The researcher recommends that tourism and hospitality policy makers and regulators should develop national policies on employment which encourage flagship initiatives on gender equality as a key priority
Influence of Customer Service on the Performance of Hospitality Enterprises: Lessons from Sunbird Tourism Limited in Malawi
(African Journal of Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure Studies, 2017) Sepulaand, Michael Bennett; Shirandula, Duncan
This paper examines the influence of customer service on the success of hospitality enterprises. The paper argues that in order to deliver excellent services that will result into profitable hospitality business, there is need to bring into close alignment the understanding of customer service and its relationship to service customer relationship management (CRM), service quality and internal relationship marketing. If these aspects are carefully harnessed, they will result into a more delighted and satisfied customer, who will later become loyal to the hospitality business in the long run. If the service is consistently delivered to customer satisfaction, then this will eventually lead to increased and successful business performance. Aproposed conceptual framework showing the relationship among these elements has been provide. This paper is based on a document analysis of a 2015 annual report of Sunbird Tourism Limited (STL),the largest and leading operator in the hospitality industry in Malawi. A review of relevant and related literature on customer service and the related elements has been undertaken. The study has utilized secondary data for it was easy to link it to theory about the concepts. The findings of this study can therefore help hospitality operators in Malawi to appreciate the importance of embracing strategies that can inform the customer service and its influence onbusiness performance. The paper, however, recommends a thorough investigation of the validity of proposed conceptual framework in the country in order to gain insights into how customer service can truly influence the performance of a hospitality enterprise
Aspects of Electronic Customer Relationship Management and Guest Satisfaction: A Perspective of 4-Star Hotels in Nairobi County, Kenya
(International Journal of Technology and Management Research, 2020) Siaw, Gladys Apreh; Gitau, John Kahuthu
Key among the aims of many service organizations are to establish and maintain stronger relationships with their customers. In recent times, organizations building strong communication networks with their customers by means of new electronic technologies to facilitate this process. The ultimate aim is to develop customer satisfaction, loyalty, and retention. However, customer satisfaction and loyalty have been an issue for many hotels in the hospitality industry. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to establish the effect of aspects of e-CRM such as trust, convenience and security on customer satisfaction among classified hotels in Nairobi City County, Kenya. A descriptive cross-sectional study of 384 customers through self-administered questionnaires was conducted. All variables were measured using constructs developed from the literature. Cronbach's Alpha was used to assess the reliability of the constructs. Pearson correlation technique was used to establish interrelationships between the study variables. The findings of the study revealed significant direct relationships between trust, convenience, and security of online transactions and customer satisfaction. The study recommends to the management of classified 4-star hotels to ensure that their online platforms have major tools such as regular review of websites and customers’ privacy that would ensure that services and transactions are believable and trusted
Influencing Role of Cultural Diversity on Destination Brand Equity, Mombasa County, Kenya
(AJHT, 2022-02) Mafuta, Lawrence Mukoyani; Maingi, Shem Wambugu; Khayiya, Rosemarie
Product diversity and the producer are inseparable and crucial in choosing cultural products within a region. The study sought to understand cultural diversity in influencing destination brand equity in Mombasa County. Crosssectional mixed-method design was used with a sample size of 350 respondents. Simple stratified random sampling was used with the optimum allocation method to select cultural resource sites. Stirling index was used where Simpson measured variation of cultural resources and balanced 'ex-ante' of various cultural products into a single indicator. The results show that cultural resources influence the destination brand equity efficacy on main brand aspects. The destination brand equity includes design, communication, packaging, guests' experiences, personality, and presumed liaison at the destination. As such, cultural products alone will not influence the destination brand equity if they are not consumed. Policies for marketing cultural products to promote consumption are required
Tourism Product Influence on Domestic Tourists Choice of Mombasa County, Kenya
(African Journal of Hospitality, Tourism and Leisure., 2022-06) Mwawaza, Stella Mshai; Kariuki, Albert Chege; Ndubi, Edgar Otsembo
This study was aimed at determining the contribution of the tourism product on domestic tourism performance in Mombasa County, Kenya. Mixed research method was employed and primary data gathered through well-structured questionnaires, which were administered randomly to domestic tourists (n=400) and tour operators (n=21), and through interviews and focus group discussion to key stakeholders in Mombasa County. Regression analysis was used to examine the relationship between tourism product component and domestic tourism performance. The results revealed that availability of diverse tourist attractions and activities, ease of accessibility, availability of accommodation and affordability of services were key in influencing domestic tourists to visit Mombasa County. These findings could benefit stakeholders in providing insights on the aspects of the tourism product that should be packaged, and the pricing for the product that could improve its competitiveness. Furthermore, elements that are key to selection of Mombasa County as a tourism destination were determined, which is crucial in informing priority areas for further improvement and/or development by tourism stakeholders.
Stakeholders’ Level of Involvement and Achievement of Sustainability Tourism and Hospitality Industry in Kakamega County
(Stratford Peer Reviewed Journals and Book Publishing, 2021-07) Ndeche, Kassim Kweyu; Kariuki, Albert; Ndubi, Edgar
Tourism is a ‘double edged sword’, while it has immense potential to accelerate socioeconomic development in a region; it can also put tremendous pressure and strain on environment and socio-cultural ethos. The issue of sustainability thus is of great importance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the stakeholders’ level of involvement and their influence on achieving sustainability tourism and hospitality industry in Kakamega County. The study adopted the mixed method design. Slovin’s formula was used to proportionately select a sample size of 184 respondents from the target population of 349 who were enrolled for the study. Purposive sampling was used to sample tour operator managers, HOD of tourism training institution and managers of local NGO; census was used to sample senior county officers in charge of tourism, senior governmental officers and hotel managers; stratified sampling technique was used to sample registered members of local tourism association. The research instruments used to collect primary data were structured questionnaires and interview schedules. Data analysis involved the use of descriptive statistics where frequencies, mean and standard deviation were used; inferential statistics was also conducted which included correlation and regression analyses. The results were disseminated through qualitative description and use of visual tools like tables, bars and pie-charts. It is hoped that the findings of this study will inform policy on how stakeholders engagement influence tourism development in a destination, contribute to the knowledge gap and create room for further researches. The study found that stakeholders’ level of involvement had significant positive relationship with sustainable tourism and hospitality industry (p<.05; β =1.023). Based on these findings, the study concluded that it is important for the tourism and hospitality industry in Kakamega County to emphasize the role of different stakeholders for its sustainability. This study hence recommended that managements of tourism and hospitality establishments in Kakamega County should develop a comprehensive and elaborate stakeholder’ engagement plans aimed at enhancing sustainability of the sector in the County
The Choice Cognition and Its Relationship with Job Satisfaction: A Case of Guest House Supervisors in Mombasa County, Kenya
(International Tourism and Hospitality Journal, 2020) Kivuva, Alex Kyalo
‘Choice’ which is also known as ‘self-determination’ connotes autonomy in decision making in the workplace. Choice is a critical element of work for guest house supervisors. Guest houses have a bigger percentage of untrained staff, in comparison with the large star-rated hotels. For staff who have some hospitality training, they are usually recruited as supervisors. Despite this fact, managers and owners of guest houses tend to dictate every operation in their establishments. This has subsequently led to low employee empowerment, which has been a major source of job satisfaction. This study sought to explore the influence of the choice cognition of psychological empowerment on job satisfaction of guest house supervisors. This study adopted a descriptive survey research design, focusing on the seventy-six registered guest houses in Mombasa County. Census was utilised where all the supervisors of the registered guest houses in the county were included in the study. A semi-structured questionnaire was used in the collection of data. Pearson correlation coefficient and linear regression were used to establish the relationship between the study variables. Results of the study revealed that there existed a positive and significant influence (p< 0.05) of the choice tenet of psychological empowerment on job satisfaction (r= 0.734) of guest house supervisors in Mombasa County. This study would be crucial to guest house owners and managers who would be able to formulate and implement ‘choice’ strategies for their supervisors and other staff. In addition, it will be helpful to organizations such as Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Federation of Kenyan Employers, Kenya Association of Hotelkeepers and Caterers and Pubs Entertainment and Restaurant Association of Kenya in sensitizing their members on the importance of ensuring that employees have autonomy in making decisions (choice) concerning their work roles

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