The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of tour guides in the promotion of sustainable tourism practices when visitors watch wildlife in protected areas of Kenya. Although many scholars agree that tour guides have a role in satisfying visitors and promotion of a destination, limited studies have been conducted to find out the role of guides in promotion of sustainable tourism practices. The objective of the study was to examine the influence of tour guides work experience and their level of education on the way they implemented sustainable tourism practices. It also sought to examine whether tour guides adhered to their rules and code of ethics and whether their level of education and work experience had any influence in promotion of sustainable tourism practices. The target population was practicing tour guides who were randomly selected from different companies in Kenya. Qualitative and quantitative data was collected. The findings from the Chi-square test of independence indicated no significant relationship existed between the tour guide experience and their opinion on their role in protecting wildlife and the environment, and promotion of sustainable tourism practices (χ²=1.66, df =3, p=0.647) since the p-value was greater than 0.05. The study also noted that there existed a significant relationship between guides work experience (χ²=11.71, df =6, p=0.069), level of education (χ²=0.147, df =2, p=0.092) and their knowledge on visitors impacts on the environment and wildlife. The study recommends regular training of guides, visitors and local communities on impact of their activities on wildlife and the environment as a way of mitigating negative impacts.

Keywords: Tour Guide, Role, Sustainable Tourism, Practices