An Analysis of the Challenges Facing Cultural Tourism Development in Kenya

Abstract

Cultural tourism is the subset of tourism concerned with a country or region's culture, specifically the lifestyle of the people in those geographical areas, the history of those peoples, their art, architecture, religion(s), and other elements that helped shape their way of life. Cultural tourism includes tourism in urban areas, particularly historic or large cities and their cultural facilities such as museums and theatres. It can also include tourism in rural areas showcasing the traditions of indigenous cultural communities (i.e. festivals, rituals), and their values and lifestyle. It is generally agreed that cultural tourists spend substantially more than standard tourists do. Cultural tourism is a genre of special interest tourism based on the search for and participation in new and deep cultural experiences, whether aesthetic, intellectual, emotional, or psychological. It is important to consider, therefore, that cultural tourism may take on many forms and meet a number of tourist motivations. Cultural tourism brings together the accepted practices of research, site development, design, planning, construction, interpretation, and visitor services and connects them to the practice of tourism in marketing, research, product development, and promotion. Cultural tourism has to use accepted practice and principles, but integrate tourism planning and development practices into the process.

Key Words: Cultural Tourism, development, challenges, Kenya