Speaker: Prof Bonface Kihima, The Technical University of Kenya
Professor Kihima’s presentation focused on innovative approaches to community inclusion in the tourism sector, advocating for a decisive shift from extractive models to collaborative systems that center local communities as agents of their own economic and social progress. He underscored the fact that for local communities, tourism is about their home, not just a business opportunity. This reality, he added, demands that communities play a central role in the planning, implementation, and benefit-sharing processes that shape tourism development.
He reminded the audience those conversations around community inclusion began as far back as the mid-1990s, and while some progress has been made, the outcomes remain disappointing. Despite decades of discussion, only around 1% of tourism revenue is retained at the local level, pointing to a persistent lack of viable, community-owned tourism products and limited systemic support.
At the core of his argument were two interlinked pillars of inclusion: substantial control within the tourism sector and meaningful participation that leads to tangible local benefits. He emphasized that inclusion must be defined by a community’s ability to make decisions and retain a fair share of tourism revenue, rather than being token beneficiaries of externally driven initiatives.
This involved developing locally-owned tourism products, building the capacity of communities to deliver quality tourism services, understanding visitor expectations, and adopting business-oriented strategies that strengthen the link between tourism and local livelihoods. He advocated for increasing online visibility for community initiatives, building strategic partnerships, and fostering cooperation over competition. He stressed the value of asset-based development, social action, self-organization, and the use of data-driven research to support targeted, credible interventions.
A strong theme throughout his presentation was the call to rethink the dominant model of development. Rather than pursuing “development of the community,” which is often top-down and externally imposed, he advocated for “development in the community,” a bottom-up, self-driven process that values local knowledge and prioritizes agency. He critiqued the reliance on handouts and charity, arguing that these approaches foster dependency rather than empowerment. Instead, he called for a model in which communities are strategic actors, capable of driving their own development through entrepreneurship and leadership.
In addition, Professor Kihima argued for a new research direction in community-based tourism, one that moves beyond generic, challenge-focused, and industry-driven studies to an epistemological shift, broadening the concept of “truth” beyond economic outputs to include social and cultural realities. This approach would prioritize the generation of community-specific data, amplify marginalized voices such as those of women, youth, and indigenous people, and employ intersectional analysis to develop more nuanced understandings of tourism’s impact. Ultimately, research must generate actionable insights that communities can use to shape their own futures.
When it came to policy, Professor Kihima called for a departure from regulatory frameworks that fail to empower local actors, emphasizing the need for policies that embed clear benefit-sharing mechanisms, institutionalize community control and participation, foster partnerships among stakeholders, and create space for economic opportunities to flourish. These policies should be adaptive and rooted in continuous learning, supported by strong monitoring and evaluation systems that ensure accountability and long-term impact.
At its core, Professor Kihima envisioned a future where communities are no longer passive recipients of tourism development but are empowered, informed, and strategic co-creators of a sector that works for them.