PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TOURISM AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:

ii Tanzania is one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most popular and rapidly growing tourism destinations. Despite high economic growth stirred by fast tourism development, the level of poverty and unemployment is still very high. The rapid growth in tourism which translates into economic growth does not appear to have considerably improved local people’s income and reduced poverty in the country. Involvement of local people in the ownership of tourism enterprises is viewed as an important tool for promoting sustainable tourism, improving local peoples ’ income and reducing financial leakage which is caused by importation of goods such as food and drinks from other countries. The main purpose of this study is therefore, to evaluate local food –tourism linkages as a strategy for promoting sustainable tourism, economic development and povert