Towards Integrated Management and Sustainable Development of Kenya's Coast: Findings and Recommendations for an Action Strategy in the Nyali-Bamburi-Shanzu Area.

Abstract

The wise use of Kenya’s coastal resources and environment is critical to the nation’s development and its people’s well-being. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Nyali-Bamburi-Shanzu area, the heart of the North Coast tourism region. Tourism is Kenya’s leading foreign exchange earner, with coastal tourism representing 60 to 70 percent of total tourism earnings. North Coast in general, and the Nyali-Bamburi-Shanzu area in particular, are significant contributors to both the local and national economies. Therefore, sustaining and even increasing the benefits of this industry are important. Tourism development and urbanisation of the Nyali-Bamburi-Shanzu area have led to both increased prosperity, as well as to a number of social, economic and environmental problems that threaten sustainable development and impose constraints on further growth. The systems that support the tourism industry—the natural coastal environment, the area’s infrastructure and public services—are under strain. Of equal concern is the increase in conflicts between the tourism industry and other activities. The situation is urgent, requiring immediate attention and action by government agencies, resource users and the private sector if widely acknowledged issues are to be resolved.