Question One
Tourism helps in the preservation of culture.
Tourism in Kenya has led to the revival of Kenyan crafts and art; most Kenyan communities have unique arts; communities like the Masaai are known for making beads, traditional weapons and pottery (Deisser & Njuguna, 2016). The Turkana people of Kenya are good at weaving they make beautiful baskets and mats for tourists. The Pokomo women are also known for their excellent skills in weaving. The preservation of the Kenyan culture was impossible in the past as a result of colonization. The European eradicated most aspects of the Kenyan culture; however, with tourism, most of these cultures are being revived. The art and crafts produced by Kenyan communities are sold to tourist who in turn take the piece to their countries, thus letting the world known the unique culture of Kenyans. The selling of the pieces of art also enables these communities to get a source of income and better their lives.
Tourism has also helped in the revival of Kenyan music, dance, songs and festivals. Tourism has enabled the resurrection of certain cultures that were forgotten. Kenya has many communities, and some communities share the same aspects of culture, whereas others differ (Deisser & Njuguna, 2016). For example, the Masaai ceremonies are held while transitioning boys from boyhood to manhood or junior elders to senior elders. Music is popular among the Abagussi community of Kenya, and they use an instrument called Obokano to play their music. In the Luo community, their dances characterized by the ornamentation of the body using the headgear made of feathers and hippo masks. These aspects of culture were disappearing, but due to the increase of touristic activities in the country, they are renewed. Kenyan dances are mainly performed at traditional African bomas where most tourists frequent.
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Question 2
Positive Social impacts
Tourism has reduced the level of poverty in Kenya. Tourism is a leading contributor to the growth of the Kenyan economy. As a result of tourism, most people are employed at restaurants as a chef to make traditional cuisine for the tourist (Atuhaire, 2015). Also, some people are hired as waiters to serve tourists at the hotels. There is also an increase in the number of a tourist hotel in the Coastal region; this implies that Kenyans have realized that owning a hotel is a lucrative business in Kenya. Also, most Kenyan as employed as tour guides, they help the tourist maneuver around the cities and parks of Kenya. The communities that make Kenyan artifacts make a living through selling their products tourist. Employment opportunities created through tourism have improved the standards of living in Kenya. Since most people can earn a living, it implies that the levels of poverty in the country have reduced.
Negative Social Impacts
Tourist has led to an increase in prostitution on the Kenyan coast. Some communities in the Kenyan coast are impoverished, and tourism does not seem to benefit them. Therefore, most women and men are using sex as a tool to earn a living (Onyulo, 2016). Prostitution is illegal in Kenya; however, the government of Kenya has failed to combat this menace. Most underage girls in the coastal region drop out of school to engage in prostitution. Young boys are also not an exception; they drop out of school or due to lack of employment they resort to becoming beach boys; these are people who act as tour guides, but they also participate in prostitution with tourists. Desperate young people on the Kenyan coast are prone to sexual exploitation. Prostitution poses a threat to these communities for it leads to the increase of transmission of venereal diseases.
References
Atuhaire, G. (2015). Kenya’s government wants to kick-start growth in tourism . D+C. Retrieved 4 June 2020, from https://www.dandc.eu/en/article/kenyas-government-wants-kick-start-growth-tourism.
Deisser, A., & Njuguna, M. (2016). Conservation of natural and cultural heritage in Kenya (pp. 1-212). UCL Press.
Onyulo, T. (2016). The child sex trade is booming in this Kenyan port city . The World from PRX. Retrieved 4 June 2020, from https://www.pri.org/stories/2016-12-08/child-sex-trade-booming-kenyan-port-city.
