Factors Influencing Participation in Domestic Tourism Among Public Sector Employees: a Case of Civil Servants in Manyatta Subcounty, Kenya

Abstract

The study assesses the Factors Influencing Participation in Domestic Tourism among Public Sector Employees: A Case of Civil Servants in Manyatta Sub County, Kenya. The objectives of the study were to establish the influence of tourism marketing incentives on participation in domestic tourism, determine how holiday culture influences domestic tourism, the influence of tourism sector perception on domestic tourism and determine how social economic factors influence participation in domestic tourism among public sector employees. The theoretical framework of this study is derived from the Cointegration theory. The study used a descriptive survey design and the study population was 1422 public employees. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The study has established that marketing incentives on infrastructure improvement, security, paid leaves and reduced taxes, positively influence participation in domestic tourism. It also establishes that tourism sector attitude towards local tourists is positive but there is need to develop domestic tourism models. The study has established that participants do not budget for domestic tourism and lack of finances influences participation in domestic tourism. The study recommends the government of Kenya to ensure growth and sustainability of domestic tourism through ambitious strategies and policy agenda in all counties to promote participation. The County government of Embu should intervene in the pricing rates in order to attract more domestic tourists in several local tourism sites as the current rates are considered high and a big impediment to domestic tourism. The Embu County Government should target the youth, given the growing number of youth population in the country, for their participation in domestic tourism.