Kenya Coastal and Marine Tourism Resilience: A Victim of Resource Curse Dynamics?

Kenya's coastal tourism, despite its abundant marine and cultural resources, suffers from a 'resource curse' characterized by stagnation and vulnerability. Weak governance, elite capture of benefits, neglect of complementary sectors, and institutional fragility have hindered inclusive growth, mirroring classic natural resource curse dynamics. These factors undermine the region's competitiveness and resilience to shocks. To address this, the study recommends strengthening multi-level governance, diversifying tourism products, investing in local human capital, and safeguarding environmental assets. Implementing these strategies is crucial for converting Kenya's rich endowments into broad-based prosperity within the Blue Economy framework.

Muoki, K. D., & Omido, K. H. (2026). Kenya Coastal and Marine Tourism Resilience: A Victim of Resource Curse Dynamics? African Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Management, 5(1), 1–20. https://doi.org/10.37284/ajthm.5.1.4295