Tourism is the leading and fastest growing industry in the world. It has been estimated that over 600 million international tourists travel to different parts of the world annually, and many countries have developed tourism as a major economic sector. Kenya is one of the countries that have adopted tourism as a major economic sector. The industry has grown steadily over the years and, currently, tourism is a major foreign exchange earner for the country, and it contributes over 12% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). The development of tourism is different parts of the world has shown that the industry presents both opportunities for the development and threats to existing resources and culture. The industry has both positive and negative impacts, particularly to the environment and local communities that live near places where tourism is being developed.

In Kenya, the rapid development of tourism has presented many challenges both at the local, regional and national levels. The challenges include environmental degradation, inequitable distribution of tourism benefits among different interest groups, increasing local people’s hostility towards the development of tourism and wildlife conservation, and negative socio-cultural impacts. These threats indicate that if tourism is not properly planned, managed and developed, the industry can cause many negative socio-economic and environmental impacts, and its development may not be sustainable in the long-run.
The rapid development of tourism in Kenya has not been accompanied with increased human resource development and training in different aspects of tourism management and related fields, particularly at the tertiary level.

There is a shortfall of required tourism professionals capable of providing the needed management skills in solving the challenges that are brought about by the development of tourism in different parts of the country, both in the private and public sector. The proposed Masters programme fill the existing niche in professional tourism training in Kenya and the east African region as a whole. The programme intends to equip graduates with skills, knowledge and competencies to effectively manage the development of tourism in a sustainable basis, and to have the professional capacity to mitigate the adverse effects of the industry.

On completion of the Masters degree programme students will:

1. Have developed an understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of tourism training core concepts, theories, skills of tourism management as a profession.
2. Have acquired the knowledge, skills and competencies to solve practical problems confronting the development of tourism in the country and the world in general.
3. Have developed independent research skills on core aspects of tourism management and being able to balance the interest of tourists, tourism business, the environment and local communities.
4. Have developed an understanding and professional skills, knowledge and competencies to plan, develop and manage the tourism industry for sustainable development.
   

The common admission regulations for the Masters degree in Moi University shall apply. Candidates with lower second class degree in tourism and related fields, and appropriate work experience of not less two years will be eligible for admission to the degree programme.

The Masters degree programme will last for a duration of two academic years. The first year of the study will focus on course-work and development of a research proposal. In the second year of the programme, students will conduct their field research and write a thesis.

Students undertaking the degree programme will be required to pursue their studies under the guidance of an identified academic staff. The training programme will follow a module structure of teaching. Throughout their duration of study, students will be required to work closely with their academic supervisors. The students will be expected to give a seminar presentation on their research proposal, at departmental level, during the second semester of their registration.

Moi University common post-graduate examination regulations shall apply. The examination of the thesis shall follow the guidelines for M.phil Thesis as provided by the Moi University School of Graduate Studies.