Browsing by Author "Ngwili Shadrack M. Ngwili"

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    Contribution of adaptive reuse of old buidlings on heritage tourism sustainability in Lamu town, Kenya
    (Chuka University, 2025) Ngwili Shadrack M. Ngwili
    The growing recognition of adaptive reuse as a fundamental strategy for the revitalization of historic and cultural properties underscores its crucial role in safeguarding heritage assets. Located in Kenya, the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Lamu faces persistent issues concerning aging infrastructure, limited accessibility, and environmental management. A scarcity of prior scholarly work focusing on the efficacy of adaptive reuse in this unique context prompted the current investigation into its contribution to the long-term viability of heritage tourism in the region. This research was guided by four specific aims: to assess the influence of adaptive reuse on the social-cultural durability of the local population; to evaluate its role in the economic resilience stemming from tourism; to determine its influence on visitor satisfaction and experience as a measure of sustainability; and to examine its function in advancing environmental conservation at these sites. The study employed a concurrent triangulation mixed-methods design, grounded in the Visitor, Investor, Community, Environment (VICE) model and Butler's Theory of Sustainable Development. Data collection systematically involved a population sample from Lamu Old Town, comprising 115 tourists, 375 community members, and 15 heritage site officials, utilizing both structured questionnaires and interviews. Analysis of the quantitative data involved descriptive and inferential statistics, specifically multiple linear regression (MLR), while qualitative insights were analyzed using thematic content analysis. The findings provided definitive evidence, leading to the rejection of all four null hypotheses and establishing a significant, positive correlation between adaptive reuse and heritage tourism sustainability across all assessed areas. The research identified a strong correlation with social-cultural continuity (β=0.557,p<0.001), primarily achieved through the transformation of old residential structures and the subsequent preservation of cultural identity. Adaptive reuse was further determined to be a robust and statistically potent driver for the local economy (β=0.603,p<0.001), driven by increased tourist spending and job creation. Furthermore, the initiatives led to a significant improvement in tourist contentment, evidenced by a statistically substantial mean difference in satisfaction scores before and after the interventions (t(92)=−38.11,p<0.001). Finally, a strong, direct, and significant association was confirmed between adaptive reuse and environmental resilience (r=0.951,p<0.01). Despite the perceived ecological soundness of the reuse principles, the study concurrently revealed notable public concern regarding the inadequacy of existing waste management practices, which poses a critical barrier to sustainable tourism in Lamu. Consequently, the study advocates for formalizing local community participation in reuse projects, enhancing transparency in the distribution of economic gains, improving the quality of visitor amenities and interpretation, and establishing an effective waste management system to mitigate environmental burdens. This research thus offers empirical knowledge and actionable policy recommendations for stakeholders in Lamu County to effectively utilize adaptive reuse for bolstering the long-term quality of heritage tourism.