Engendering Rural Tourism as a Viable Strategy for Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development in the Southern Tourist Circuit of Tanzania

This article employs a systematic literature review to present the need to innovate and engender rural tourism as a viable strategy for poverty alleviation in the Southern Tourism Circuit of Tanzania—one of the regions with many rural tourist opportunities that are unexplored and yet to be utilized to transform local peoples’ livelihoods. The study explores why the circuit is underdeveloped in terms of rural tourism as compared to other tourist circuits and maps the existing rural tourism opportunities in the region. The impacts of colonial legacy, limited financial capability, policy issues and poor infrastructure are the main factors for the under-exploitation of tourist resources in the southern circuit. Rural tourism assets such as natural, cultural, agritourism/farm-based, and culinary assets in this circuit still need to be utilized. Innovation and utilization of these rural tourism opportunities could be one of the appropriate strategies to improve residents’ livelihoods. Rural tourism could help to boost individual economies and government revenues and enhance community development. The study highlights the importance of effective collaboration among stakeholders and multisector linkage while putting the local community at the core of rural tourism.