What is eco-tourism?

KCSE Geography Paper 2 2011 Section B Question 9.

(a) What is eco-tourism? 

• It is the development and management of tourism while conserving the environment/enjoying what nature provides while protecting it.

​(b) (i) Give four tourist attractions found at the coast of Kenya.

•  Marine parks.
•  Historical sites.
•  Sandy beaches/coral reefs/coastal scenery.
•  Sunny/warm climate.
•  Traditional culture.
•  Water sports/beach sports.
•  Wildlife.

​(ii) State five problems associated with tourism in Kenya. 

•  Tourism has led to increase in drug abuse.
•  A number of youths especially at the Coast have dropped out of school to become tour guides/beach boys/sex workers/curio sellers.
•  Tourism has led to the spread of diseases such as S.T.Is.
•  Tourism has led to pollution of environment/National parks/game reserves.
•  Over emphasis on tourism has led to the neglect of the other sectors of economy.
•  Tourism has led to increase in crime/insecurity.
•  Tourism has encouraged poaching/illegal collection of marine resources.
•  Tourism has led to international terrorism/piracy.
•  Erosion of some social value/culture.

​(c) State four ways in which game reserves are of benefit to the communities living near them.

• The game reserves offer employment opportunities to the communities living near them.
•  The management of the game reserves provide social amenities to the communities.
•  The communities are allowed to graze their animals in the game reserves.
•  Access roads to the game reserves benefit the communities.
•  The income earned from the game reserves by the local authorities is used to provide services to the communities.
•  Sometimes members of the community are given meat when animals have been culled.
•  Educational institutions located near the game reserves have easy access for educational tours.
•  Increase market for local products.

​(d) Explain the differences between tourism in Kenya and Switzerland.

1. In Kenya animals are found in their natural habitants while in Switzerland they are found in zoos.
2. Kenya has tropical climate which is warm and sunny most of the year encouraging sun-bathing while Switzerland has temperate climate with cold winters which encourage Winter sports.
3. Kenya has varied and beautiful Coastal scenery/Rift Valley/volcanic mountains while Switzerland has varied scenery consisting of snow-capped mountains/glaciated landscape.
4. Kenya being far from Europe, gets fewer tourists than Switzerland which is centrally located in Europe.
5. Kenya’s reports of insecurity scare away potential tourists but the reports of peaceful atmosphere in Switzerland encourage more tourists.
6. Kenya has poorly maintained transport network making it difficult to access some tourist sites while in Switzerland transport network is efficient.
7. Kenyans are able to speak a few international languages hence communication with the tourists is sometime limited, whereas the diversity of languages spoken in Switzerland make it possible for tourists to communicate with ease.
8. The training of personnel in tourism industry in Switzerland is more advanced than in
9. Kenya, thus enabling the personnel to provide higher quality services to the tourists.
10. The accessibility to financial facilities and services such as the use of credit cards, by the tourists in Kenya is limited to large urban areas, whereas in Switzerland similar facilities and services are widespread promoting easy transactions by tourists.
11. Kenyan’s low purchasing power limits their ability to travel as tourists while in Switzerland the high purchasing power enables people to travel as tourists.
12. Kenya has coastal beaches while Switzerland has lake side beaches.

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