Kenya is the “Mzee,” ancestor of nature-based tourism, a type of tourism featuring attractions such as flora and fauna, stunning landscapes with breathtaking geographical features, and much more. Kenya’s tourism developed based on up-country wildlife conservation in national parks and reserves, these wildlife areas became important tourist destinations. Originally, the creation of parks was a step towards the conservation of biodiversity and was not specifically intended to meet the needs of tourism.
This dates back to the pre-independence era when visitors from overseas and explorers came to Kenya for big-game hunting, or simply in search of solitude. Indeed, in response to the scale of wildlife destruction caused by hunting, particularly with the use of firearms following British rule (Ouma, 1970; Bird, 1963), the Kenyan government quickly adopted an innovative policy to preserve its exceptional heritage of fauna and flora by creating parks and regulating hunting.
Twenty-six game parks, twenty-eight game reserves, and one sanctuary, covering 17,000 square kilometers—about 12% of Kenya’s territory—have been designated for wildlife protection. Kenya has the highest concentration of wildlife in Africa, as well as the greatest migration of wild animals on earth.
Kenya’s tourism industry continues to refine this gem to highlight its authenticity, remain competitive in the international market, and develop sustainably.
Kenya has a wealth of treasures that cannot be found anywhere else. It has unique landscapes, and some of the world’s greatest panoramas, and its natural attractions are rarely matched. Beach tourism is a real gem in Kenya with beaches coming straight from paradise. A magical country of East Africa that has both the most beautiful wild scenery and the most majestic animals. This is true not only for its natural resources, but also for its culture, traditions and customs
Expeditions to Kenya are often considered a “safari,” a Swahili word that refers to long journeys undertaken by locals for excursions, business, discoveries, and exchanges. This word is now a valuable addition to the world’s travel literature.
By Njoki Wamae, Kenyan in France
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