FACTORS INFLUENCING PARTICIPATION IN DOMESTIC TOURISM AMONG PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYEES: A CASE OF CIVIL SERVANTS IN MANYATTA SUB-COUNTY, KENYA
Emily Ngari - Master of Arts in Project Planning and Management, University of Nairobi, Kenya
Prof. David Macharia EBS - University of Nairobi, Kenya
ABSTRACT
The study was to assess 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 domestic tourism, determine how holiday culture influences domestic tourism, establish the influence of tourism sector perception on domestic tourism and determine how social economic factors influenced participation in domestic tourism among public sector employees. The theoretical framework of this study was derived from the Cointegration theory. The study used a descriptive survey design. The population of the study was 1422 public employees of middle cadre job groups J-N, and a sample of 306 public employees. This sample was picked using stratified sampling and proportionate sampling. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Ten (10) civil servants were used for Pilot testing before the commencement of the study. Data analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Descriptive statistics were computed and data presented. The study found social economic factor influenced participation in Domestic tourism tat Avery great extent, followed by holiday culture, followed, tourism sector attitude and the last was tourism marketing incentives. Based on the findings 71% agreed that infrastructure improvement was an incentive for marketing domestic tourism 29% disagreed that infrastructure improvement was an incentive for marketing domestic tourism. This implies that infrastructure improvement is marketing incentive for domestic tourism, Loyalty incentive schemes particularly within the hospitality sector have increased in terms of uptake and have also contributed in terms of converting business tourists into future holiday tourists. On issues whether there is need to introduce domestic tourism topics in education systems 69% participants agreed that they strongly agree with need for introduction of domestic tourism topics in education as a culture issue influencing domestic tourism and 31% agreed. Based on the finding 78% of the participants stated the attitude of tourism sector staff towards local tourist was very positive, 20% stated that the attitude of tourism sector staff towards local tourist was positive while 2% stated that the attitude of tourism sector staff towards local tourists was neutral. This implies that local tourist is treated very well in terms of hospitality. Based on the findings 34% participants stated that they agreed to have a budget for local tourism while 66% disagreed to having any budget for local tourism. This implies that majority of the respondents disagree that public employees budget for domestic tourism.
