Abstract:
Nature interpretation has been advocated as a soft and non-obtrusive on-site visitor
management strategy to enhance visitor knowledge and understanding of the resource, mitigate visitor
impacts, encourage the conservation and improvement of attraction areas, and assist visitors in
enjoying their visit. However, the way in which nature interpretation programs are implemented,
and the subsequent attitudes created amongst visitors can pose a challenge to the e ectiveness of
nature interpretation as a visitor management strategy. The situation becomes more complicated
with limited resources to implement, monitor, and evaluate nature interpretation in expansive
wilderness areas like Masai Mara National Reserve (MMNR). The question therefore is, does nature
interpretation in MMNR create favourable attitudes amongst wildlife tourists, consequently leading
to enhanced visitor experiences and satisfaction of the support for conservations, or not? This research,
therefore, sought to establish the extent to which the attitudes created by nature interpretation a ect
visitor satisfaction or the enhanced visitor experience and support for conservation, broadly termed
as visitor management objectives in MMNR Kenya. Thus, Ho1 postulated that attitudes created
by nature interpretation do not influence visitors’ support for conservation in MMNR, and Ho2,
that attitudes created by nature interpretation do not enhance visitor experience and satisfaction in
MMNR. This study used a structured questionnaire for the survey to collect data from a sample of
351 respondents as a proportion of visitors into MMNR. Research findings revealed that a moderate
relationship between attitudes created by nature interpretation and support to conservation with
rs = 0.426 and p = 0.000, thus null hypothesis
was rejected. Secondly, results showed that attitudes
created by nature interpretation moderately a ected visitor satisfaction rs = 0.478 and p = 0.000,
while similarly, null hypothesis
H
0
1
was rejected. The research concluded that various forms of
NI result in the formation of attitudes that moderately a ect support for conservation and visitor
satisfaction. The study concluded that enhanced nature interpretation training and awareness creation,
along with continual improvement initiatives, could unlock its full potential as a visitor management
strategy. This consistent, well-coordinated, and diligent implementation of nature interpretation
initiatives by all stakeholders in MMNR would sustain a cumulative, long-term impact.
