East Africa Community Regional Tourism Policy: The Nexus between Cultural Heritage and Socio-economic Development of the Maasai Community in Serengeti-Mara Ecosystem

Abstract

This paper explores how EAC tourism regional policy preserves the Maasai culture in Seregneti. It argues that in as much as the East Africa Community regional policy endeavors to protect and preserve cultural heritage of communities around the ecosystem from tourist distortions, this has not been the case.  Therefore, the objective of the paper is to interrogate EAC regional policy towards preserving cultural aspects of the Maasai community from mass tourism activities. The study utilized political realism and neo-functionalism theories to analyze effects of policy cultural heritage. It employed descriptive research design to investigate how the EAC tourism policy affects cultural heritage of local communities. Purposive was used to determine samples. The study used questionnaire and interviews to collect primary. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics. Findings of the study indicate that wildlife management groups, game control areas on Serengeti side and community conservancy groups on Mara side of the border form the central pillar through which the local populace engage and benefit from ecotourism activities. The findings indicate that cultures such as Maa dances, regalia, Manyattas, traditional ceremonies have been commercialized however, benefits for the community are not sustainable