Abstract: Sporting activities serve as catalysts for promoting development of tour operator firms in most developed and developing countries. However, there are few studies that have been carried out that focuses on sports activities, and how they influence tourism development. This is especially in relation to the effect of sporting activities on performance of Tour Operator Firms in Kenya. This study sought to establish the influence of selected (athletics, ball games, water sports and motor-sports) sporting activities on performance of registered tour operator firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya. The theoretical framework was both the Intrusion-Reaction and the Core Periphery Models. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and whose target population was 248 individuals made up of 244 leaders of tour operator firms in Nairobi County registered with the Kenya Association of Tour Operators (KATO) as of October 2022, and whose operations are within Nairobi City County. It also included the Director, ministry of tourism and wildlife, County Executive Committee Member in charge of Trade, Tourism and Cooperatives at the Nairobi City County, the Director Kenya Tourism Board, and the Director General Sports Kenya. The sample size was 154 respondents was arrived at through stratified sampling and random sampling. This study used semi-structured questionnaire and key informant interviews as tools for primary data collection. To uphold research ethics, respondents filled the questionnaires anonymously while data obtained was handled with utmost confidentiality. The study used data analysis techniques that are favorable to both quantitative and qualitative methods. Where necessary, the data analysis was supported by Statistical Software for Statistical Sciences (SPSS) version 24. Output of data analysis has been presented in tables and graphs. Though most TOFs are never involved in athletics, there are those who participate in local athletics and in international athletics activities once or twice a year. It is same in ball games but often in local events and to a lesser extent on international events, 3 to 4 times year. On motor sports those involved and them that participates do so rarely mostly at international level at less than 2 times in a year. TOFs involvement in water sports is mostly rarely and often at international level than local at a frequency of less than twice a year. There were other sports TOFs were involved though this were not the majority. Majority of TOFs do branding and advertising during sport events often, and are aware of the branding and advertising opportunities presented by sports events Most relevant games to them are ball games, darts, motorsports, scuba, snorkeling and watersports- dhow safari, though none of these sports were outrightly substantially favored by the firms, and the resultant income is mostly from local activities when compared to international activities. Athletics is positively correlated to TOFs performance and the relationship is statistically significant at r<0.5. Ballgames is directly correlated to TOFs performance but it is not statistically significant at r> 0.05 Motor sports is directly correlated to TOFs performance but the relationship is not statistically significant at r>0.05. Water sports is directly correlated to TOFs performance and the relationship is statistically significant at r<0.01. Insights from the study could enhance TOFs’ management capacity to utilize sports tourism for better financial performance. Strategic planners in tourism industry could also gain from the study since it could help them develop effective strategies that transform sporting activities into opportunities for real wealth. Findings could also guide the government to develop relevant policies that enhance tourism development.
Keywords: Athletics, Ballgames, motor sports, waters sports, sports tourism, tour operator firms.
Title: Influence of Selected Sports Tourism Activities on Performance of Registered Tour Operator Firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya
Author: Njoroge Kamau Joseph, Muthengi Sisinio, Bitok Jane
International Journal of Social Science and Humanities Research
ISSN 2348-3156 (Print), ISSN 2348-3164 (online)
Vol. 12, Issue 4, October 2024 - December 2024
Page No: 56-63
Research Publish Journals
Website: www.researchpublish.com
Published Date: 19-October-2024
