Ecotourism presents an ecopreneurship opportunity in promoting global sustainability and environmental conservation within the tourism industry by emphasizing environmental conservation, community development, and the preservation of local cultures through responsible travel practices. It is a tool for promoting sustainable development, protecting sensitive ecosystems, and preserving cultural heritage. However, information on sustainability initiatives is limited and needs a study. This case examines Camp Ndunda Falls' sustainability practices by looking into environmental variables, societal issues, and existing government policy frameworks, as well as their impact on the site's long-term viability as an ecotourism destination. The authors established the need for preserving the natural environment and providing sustainable tourism opportunities by employing a descriptive case study design that included an in-depth study of global, regional, and local ecotourism sites and a comparative review of their practices with Camp Ndunda Falls' approaches to sustainability. The site's long-term viability and visitor appeal were jeopardized since deforestation and plastic garbage were deemed a big issue. The presence of experienced staff, the promotion of local culture through language and cuisine, and the creation of job opportunities for locals were deemed critical to the site's survival, while government laws were deemed instrumental in protecting the natural environment and shaping the activities carried out at Camp Ndunda Falls. The symbiotic relationship between the Kenya Forest Service, Kenya Wildlife Service, and ecotourism enterprise provides an opportunity for the community to benefit from sustainable practices with economic value.
Agrawal, A. K., & Rahman, Z. (2015). Roles and Resource Contributions of Customers in Value Co-creation. ScienceDirect, 144-160. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ism.2015.03.001
Barney, J. B., Ketchen, D. J., & Wright, M. (2011). The Future of Resource-Based Theory: Revitalization or Decline? Sage Journals: Journal of Management, 1299-1315. doi:https://doi.org/10.1177/0149206310391805
Bryman, A. (2016). Social Research Methods. United Kingdom: Oxford University Press.
Butler, R. W., & Fennell, D. A. (2018). Tourism and community: Exploring conceptual relationships and implications for sustainability. Current Issues in Tourism,. Current Issues in Tourism, 21(6), 633-649.
Buultjens, J., White, N., & Lueck, M. (2009). Assessing the cultural and economic impacts of the Yolngu Tourism Initiative, Northern Territory, Australia. Tourism Management, 30(1), 112-121. 30(1), 112-121.
Connell, J., & Rugendyke, B. (2014). Tourism at sacred sites: Understanding the motivation of the religious tourist. Tourism Management, 45, 64-74.
Costanza, R., Groot, R., Sutton, P., Ploeg, S., Anderson, S. J., Kubiszewski , I., . . . Turner, R. K. (2014). Changes in the global value of ecosystem services. ScienceDirect: Global Environmental Change, 26, 152-158. doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2014.04.002
Coy, M. J. (2019). Research Methodologies: Increasing Understanding of the World. ternational Journal of Scientific and Research Publications,, 9(1), 71-77.
Creswell, J. W. (2014). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage Publications.
Fenell, D. A. (2020). Ecotourism. Routledge. Retrieved from https://www.routledge.com/Ecotourism/Fennell/p/book/9780367364601
Gavin, M. C., & McCool, S. F. (2021). The role of community involvement in enhancing sustainable tourism development. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29(5), 692-707. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 29(5), 692-707.
Honey, M. (2008). Ecotourism and Sustainable Development: Who Owns Paradise? Academia.edu.
Keja-Kaereho, C., & Tjizu, B. R. (2019). Climate change and global warming in Namibia: Environmental disasters vs. human life and the economy. Management and Economics Research Journal, 5(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.18639/merj.2019.836535
Leedy, P. D., & Ormrod, J. E. (1980). Practical Research. New York: Macmillan.
Lemelin, R. H., Lacroix, C., Spenceley, A., & Agrusa, J. (2020). Community-based ecotourism and sustainability in Africa: A critical assessment. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 28(7), 971-988.
Li , F. M., & Sofield, T. H. (2006). World Heritage Listing: the case of Huangshan (Yellow Mountain), China. Routledge.
Loope, L. L., & Muller-Dumbois, D. (1989). Characteristics of invaded islands, with special reference to Hawaii. In Biological invasions: a global perspective (pp. 257-280). John Wiley & Sons. John Wiley & Sons, 257-280.
McCool, S. F., & Moisey, R. N. (2009). Tourism, recreation, and sustainability: Linking culture and the environment. CABI. CABI.
Montero, M., & Caoelli, L. (2019). Monteverde & Arenal Broché. Amazon. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.fr/Monteverde-Arenal-Maria-Montero/dp/150173928X
Morse, J., Welch, J. N., Weinberg, A., & Szabo, P. (2018). Literature Review: Forest Cover & Water Quality –Implications For Land Conservation. amazonaws.com. Retrieved from https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/osi-craft/Forest-Cover-Water-Quality-Report-2018-6-30-Final.pdf
Murdoch, L. (1996). Discover the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. Angus & Robertson.
Okech, R. N. (2009). Hot issues, Green Solutions: Impacts and implications for the Tourism Industry National Ecotourism Conference 22nd–24th October 2007. Journal of Ecotourism, 8(3), 221-222. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/14724040802140840
Olalla , M. F. (1999). The resource-based theory and human resources. SpringerLink: International Advances in Economic Research, 5, 84-92.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02295034
Parker, S., & Khare, A. (2005). Understanding success factors for ensuring sustainability in ecotourism development in Southern Africa. Journal of Ecotourism,, 4(1), 32-46. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/14724040508668436
Rhama, B., & Kusumasari, B. (2022). Assessing resource-based theory in ecotourism management: The case of Sebangau National Park, Indonesia.” , 72, 613–634. International Social Science Journal, 72, 613-634.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/issj.12345
Su, M. M., Wall, G., & Ma, Z. (2014). Assessing Ecotourism from a Multi-stakeholder Perspective: Xingkai Lake National Nature Reserve, China. SpringerLink, 54, 1190–1207. doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-014-0360-5
Tang, L., Gao, L., & Shi, L. (2015). Sustainable management and protection of ecosystems in Shangri-La County, Yunnan Province, China: Introduction. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 99-102.
Walsh, S. J., Mena, C. F., Goodchild, M. F., & Mclntyre, N. E. (2010). Shifting cultivation and deforestation in the tropical forests of northern Ecuador. Environmental Conservation, 37(2), 191-200. 37(2), 191-200.
Wang, W., Feng, L., Zheng, T., & Liu, Y. (2017). The sustainability of ecotourism stakeholders in ecologically fragile areas: Implications for cleaner production. ScienceDirect-Elsevier, 279. Retrieved from
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0959652620336519
Zebich-Knos, M. (2008). Ecotourism, Park Systems, and environmental justice in Latin America. Environmental Justice in Latin America, 184–211.
doi:https://doi.org/10.7551/mitpress/9780262033725.003.0009
(Mukabi et al., 2024)
Mukabi, F. E. K., Chepngeno, V. K., & Njoroge, M. G. (2024). Towards Sustainability of Eco-tourism through Ecopreneurship, a Case Study of Camp Ndunda Falls in Embu County, Kenya. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 14(6), 1461–1488.
Copyright: © 2024 The Author(s)
Published by Knowledge Words Publications (www.kwpublications.com)
This article is published under the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY 4.0) license. Anyone may reproduce, distribute, translate and create derivative works of this article (for both commercial and non-commercial purposes), subject to full attribution to the original publication and authors. The full terms of this license may be seen at: http://creativecommons.org/licences/by/4.0/legalcode