Building Community Capacity for Digital Ownership in Coastal Tourism

As the world prepares to mark the International Day for Biological Diversity 2026, the Blue Tourism Initiative (BTI) is celebrating an important milestone in the Diani–Shimoni pilot: the growing digital capacity and leadership of the coastal communities of Kaya Kinondo and Chale.

At the heart of this work are two community-led organizations dedicated to conservation, cultural heritage, and sustainable tourism along Kenya’s coast.

The Kaya Kinondo Conservation and Development CBO continues to play a vital role in protecting the Kaya Kinondo Sacred Forest — a unique ecosystem rich in biodiversity, indigenous knowledge, and cultural heritage. The forest is home to endemic tree species, medicinal plants, birds, butterflies, and sacred cultural sites that have been safeguarded for generations through traditional community stewardship practices.

Meanwhile, the Chale Boat Operators Self Help Group is advancing community-led eco-tourism initiatives focused on the protection of coral reefs and marine ecosystems. Through responsible tourism practices, visitor awareness, and sustainable marine activities, the group is helping preserve the natural beauty and ecological importance of Chale’s coastal waters.

To strengthen long-term community ownership of digital tourism platforms, designated digital champions from both groups recently completed a practical training programme on website management and digital communication. The training also included participation from BTI’s mangrove restoration partners, the Tunusuru Women’s Group.

As part of the initiative, two dedicated tourism websites were developed to support community visibility and storytelling:

Facilitated by consultants Jesse Otumba and Tillen Otuoma, the training introduced participants to WordPress and Elementor management, website security, phishing awareness, media handling, and domain and hosting administration.

Most importantly, participants gained hands-on experience managing and updating their own digital platforms — from editing website pages and tourism information to uploading images and publishing blog stories that share their conservation efforts, cultural heritage, and tourism experiences directly from the community perspective.

As the Diani–Shimoni pilot concludes, these efforts reflect the broader vision of the Blue Tourism Initiative across the Western Indian Ocean: empowering coastal communities to conserve biodiversity while strengthening local livelihoods, visibility, and ownership through sustainable and inclusive tourism.