Sowing the Seeds of Tourism Growth among Peripheral Rural Communities: Evaluating the Contribution of Missionaries’ Guesthouses to Tourism Development in West Pokot County, Kenya

Abstract

Despite their many years of existence in rural areas offering services to rural recreationists, little is known about the contribution of missionaries’ guesthouses (MGHs) in West Pokot County to tourism development in the area. That is, despite their potential to support tourism growth in these rural areas which lack most basic tourism support infrastructures, these MGHs have not featured in discussions on spreading tourism to rural areas. This paper examined the potential Contribution of MGHs to tourism development and management in West Pokot County, Kenya. The study was guided by Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) Model developed by Butler in 1980. Sequential explanatory research design was employed integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches. The target population included 7,103 households, 550 on Missionary Guesthouses (MGHs) guests, 11 MGH managers, 11 MGH management committee members, 4 Church Income-Generating Unit (IGU) managers, and 2 county tourism officers in West Pokot County. A sample size of 369 households and 236 MGH guests was determined using Krejcie and Morgan’s (1970) table, while all key informants were included through a census approach. Simple random sampling was applied to select households and guests, whereas purposive sampling was used for key informants. Data collection utilized structured and semi-structured questionnaires for households and guests, and in-depth interviews for key informants. A pilot study was conducted to ensure instrument reliability and validity, with Cronbach’s Alpha used to test reliability. Quantitative data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, employing descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically to derive key insights into MGHs’ contributions to tourism. Findings indicate that MGHs play a significant role in supporting rural tourism. Stakeholders agreed that MGHs contribute to tourism viability (Mean = 4.266, SD = 0.490) and promote the county as a tourist destination (Mean = 4.255, SD = 0.563). They also provide essential resources, improve governance and management skills (Mean = 3.937, SD = 0.704), and serve as flagship tourism development projects (Mean = 4.048, SD = 0.532). However, infrastructure challenges persist, as indicated by the relatively lower mean score for accessibility improvements (Mean = 3.667, SD = 0.573). Guest perspectives further affirm the positive impact of MGHs on tourism. Over 80% of guests acknowledged their contribution to tourism viability and marketing of the region. Qualitative findings from key informant interviews (KIIs) and focus group discussions (FGDs) revealed that MGHs act as tourism incubators, setting quality standards, providing human resource training, and promoting a community-led tourism model. The study concludes that MGHs have played a transformative role in promoting community-based rural tourism in West Pokot County. Their contributions range from infrastructure development and skills training to tourism governance and marketing. The study recommends that in order to enhance rural tourism in West Pokot County, the county government should collaborate with missionaries to develop a locally relevant tourism policy aligned with community needs. Missionaries should take the lead in defining tourism service standards, developing tourism products, and providing hospitality training to local communities to improve service quality.