Abstract:
This study sought to look at the relationship between tranquility and sustainable tourism development. The following are the objectives studied: To identify if the available resources are potential for tranquility and sustainable tourism development in Laikipia County and to establish how stakeholders are involved in tranquility and sustainable tourism development in Laikipia County. The theory of ABC Triangle for conflict resolution by Johan Galtung, 1969, was used to guide this study. The study used a descriptive survey design which aims at looking into and describing the factors affecting the relationship between tranquility and sustainable tourism development in Laikipia County. The target population of the study area was 126 400, Laikipia statistics officer, 2012. The researcher used a sample size of 100, at a ratio of 1:1264, using a stratified random sampling technique and purposefully selected the strata of the population. The sample design used and procedure provide a method of sampling to be used and the sample population. This research used simple random sampling since the number of the employees may differ from one area of specialization to another. The study used both primary and secondary data sources of data. Primary data was collected by means of administered questionnaire to the selected respondents and secondary data was collected from the websites and other literature that will be relevant to the study. The questionnaires were analyzed and interpreted the study using descriptive statistics. The descriptive statistics used are frequency and percentages. The results were summarized in terms of the objectives of the study and presented in form of tables. There was 95% response. The results for the research indicated that the percentages varied as follows. 34.3% of the respondents were involved in tourism development, 20% formed the support network, and another 20% were involved in tourism planning and policy formulation, 8.6% were involved in tourism product marketing and another 8.6% involved in tourism infrastructure development, 5.1% was involved in training of tourism managers and 2.9% got involved in other tourism development roles. The percentages for the constituency of operation also varied significantly. 31.4% of developers were based in Nanyuki, 22.9% in Umande, 17.1% in Tigithi, 14.3% in Thingithu and another 14.3% in Ngobit. 51.4% of the respondents had no partnership with the local community and 48.6% partnered with the community. The research has shown that Laikipia County is rich in tangibility tourism resources that can be developed to diversify the tourism products in the area as well as promote national cohesion and integration.
