Tourism Safety and Destination Choice in Nairobi County, Kenya: The Mediating Role of Tourist Behavioral Characteristics
Main Article Content
Keywords
Tourism safety, Destination Choice, Behavioral Characteristics, Perceived Risk, Nairobi County, Star-Rated Hotels
Abstract
Destination choice is influenced by attractions, accessibility, and perceived safety. Kenya’s low safety and security score of 3.4 out of 7, reflecting crime, terrorism, and political instability, affects tourist decisions. Nairobi County, as the capital and a major tourism hub, has experienced security incidents, making it perceived as unsafe. Although prior research has established a direct link between perceived safety and destination choice, the intervening mechanisms through which tourist behavioral characteristics operate within this relationship remain theoretically and empirically underexplored. This study addresses this gap by examining the mediating role of tourist behavioral characteristics on the relationship between tourism safety and destination choice in Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was anchored on perceived risk theory and Theory of Planned Behaviour. Pragmatist research paradigm with concurrent explanatory research design was adopted. The target population was 2,279 tourists and 53 managers in charge of security from fifty-three star rated hotels in Nairobi County. Systematic random sampling and purposive sampling were used to select the respondents. Quantitative data was collected from 340 tourists using questionnaires while qualitative data was collected using interviews from 11 managers. Quantitative data was analyzed using multiple linear regression for hypothesis testing and Process Macro for mediation while qualitative data used content analysis. Findings show that tourism safety strongly influences destination choice (β = 0.465, p < 0.001). Tourists place high value on safety factors such as crime prevention, health protection, and emergency preparedness when selecting destinations. Behavioral characteristics recorded high mean scores but did not significantly mediate the relationship between tourism safety and destination choice (β = 0.0033, 95% CI [-0.0145, 0.0252]). Qualitative results confirmed that tourists prioritize visible safety measures over motivational or attitudinal factors when making travel decisions. The study concludes that tourism safety is a primary determinant of destination choice in Nairobi County, while behavioral characteristics play a limited mediating role. The findings support Perceived Risk Theory and refine the Theory of Planned Behavior in high-risk tourism contexts by showing that safety perceptions can override internal behavioral processes. The study recommends strengthening safety systems, improving tourism infrastructure, enhancing communication of safety information, and improving destination image management to enhance Nairobi’s competitiveness as a tourist destination. This research contributes to knowledge by highlighting that behavioral characteristics do not mediate the relationship between tourism safety destination choice.
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Stellah Nyabiage Ayunga , Department of Tourism and Tour Operations Management, School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900-30100, Kesses, Eldoret, Kenya
Department of Tourism and Tour Operations Management, School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900-30100, Kesses, Eldoret, Kenya
Jacqueline Korir , Department of Hotel and Hospitality Management, School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900-30100, Kesses, Eldoret, Kenya
Department of Hotel and Hospitality Management, School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900-30100, Kesses, Eldoret, Kenya
Brendah Uluma , Department of Tourism and Tour Operations Management, School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900-30100, Kesses, Eldoret, Kenya
Department of Tourism and Tour Operations Management, School of Tourism, Hospitality and Events Management, Moi University, P.O. Box 3900-30100, Kesses, Eldoret, Kenya