Paper short abstract:

Lamu Old Town being the oldest and preserved Swahili settlement in East Africa, retains many of its traditional functions which attracts tourists from different parts of the world including Asia & Arabic countries. Tourism development has influenced Lamu's economy, lifestyle and culture.

Paper long abstract:

Tourism is a worldwide growing industry and regarded as an integral component of economic development strategies in developing nations. In Kenya, income from tourism constitutes the country's second largest source of foreign exchange followed by Agriculture. Tourists to Lamu are attracted by unique Swahili architecture, culture, spatial organization and heritage, who consume during their visits and spend time to learn about local history and cultures of the people. The attractions foster tourism development in the area thus directly impacting the local communities. Therefore, this study aims to identify the socio-cultural impacts of tourism development in Lamu Old Town, by examining specific residents' perceptions of their own quality of life. The results were obtained through observation and informal conversations with tourist guides and those working in tourism sector. The study found out that tourism development is the major cause for change in residents' economy and lifestyles. Economically, tourism has brought development through job creation, Income and revenue generation thus improving residents´ life. However, tourism has also affected the economy and culture of Lamu residents. The jobs in the sector are seasonal thus affecting the income. Tourists have brought diverse values to the community thus influencing residents' behavior. The traditional way of doing things is slowly changing because the young generation is not interested to learn the practices which they view as time consuming but instead adopt new western practices brought as a result of tourism. Tourists from Asia and Arabic countries have influenced the cooking and building techniques.

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