Responses of Kenya Wildlife Service to increased competition in the tourism industry.

Abstract

Kenya's tourism industry continues to grapple with uncertainties that have dogged the country for some time. Competition in the tourism industry has increased over the years. This is in line with world trends of competition. In deed, gone are the days of protected markets and dominant market positions. Instead, markets have been opened up thus inviting many players that offer the customer wider choice. In such circumstances, it is for the organization to be ahead of the environmental developments in the industry for it to realize success. This case study sought to establish the responses that the KWS has adopted to cope with increased competition. Data for this study was pnmary, collected by the researcher through personal interviews both at corporate and functional levels of management at KWS. These included the director, deputy directors and senior management officers at the organization. A total number of 45 members of the management team were intervi ewed. Findings from the study indicated that the response strategies have been reactive in nature. For the organization to achieve a competitive advantage, there is need for a proactive business approach to be adopted. The organization needs to formulate suitable competitive strategies to defend its market share and realize success in the tourism industry. The study recommends that a study should be carried out to find how effective these adopted responses are in ensuring that the KWS achieves its vision as world-class conservation and Tourism body.