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visitors have had equipment and other valuables taken away by robbers
while visiting some camps.
The unknown consequences of global warming and climate change
could harm adventure travel or prevent its growth in the study area. The
melting and receding of glacier on top of Mt. Kenya could spell disaster to
the adventure travel and tourism industry in the area. Drying up of rivers
fl owing from the mountain could reduce the number of tourists attracted
by trout fi shing in the area. Wildlife habitats such as the mountain forest
would disappear together with the associated animal communities.
Impacts of mountain tourism in Kenya
As Kruk et al. (2007) argue, tourism if well planned can generate employment
and income opportunities for local people in mountain areas such as Mt.
Kenya. Local jobs are created through opportunities to work as guides
and porters, in lodges, general supplies to tourists, renting camp sites and
performing cultural shows. A major concern though has been the negative
impacts of tourism on the environment (e.g., deforestation, pollution of
water sources, littering). Some scholars also argue that tourism has had
negative impacts on local culture and values (Lama and Sherpa 1994).
Socio-economic impacts
Today, Mt. Kenya provides livelihood for more than six million people
living adjacent to the forest
including 1500 porters and guides who provide
services such as porterage, guiding and cooking to the tourists (KWS 2011).
The local communities have also benefi ted from various development
projects funded by the KWS with funds accruing from tourism. Some of
the projects include a Maternity Wing at Mutindwa Dispensary in Mara
District (Tharaka Nithi County), a computer room and one classroom at
Gatwe Secondary School in Kirinyaga County.
Environmental impacts
Tourism development also creates environmental problems and poses new
challenges to mountain areas (Mburu 2010). Increasing amount of litter
often found at high altitudes in the mountain areas of the world constitutes
a major negative environmental impact of mountain tourism. If this trend
continues unchecked, mountains may be converted into junkyards (Lama
and Sherpa 1994). On Mt. Kenya, the major negative environmental impacts
arising from growing mountain tourism include trail creation, littering and
trampling of vegetation (Mburu 2010, Wilson 2011).
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