Contribution of Wildlife-based Tourism to Household Income and Income Inequality: A Case of Burunge Wildlife Management Area in Tanzania

Abstract

This study investigates the contribution of wildlife-based tourism to household income, employment, and income inequality in villages surrounding Burunge WMA. The study used cross-sectional design, focusing on four villages namely Olasiti, Mwada, Minjingu and Sangaiwe. Primary data collection involved a household survey that covered 272 randomly selected households. The questionnaire addressed issues of household social-economic characteristics, main income-generating activities and tourism-related employment. The study employed the Gini coefficient to measure income inequality. The study reveals that wildlife-based tourism provides income opportunities at household level but its contribution to the overall household income is low because only about 15% of sampled households depended on wildlife-based tourism as their main source of income. Agriculture and livestock activities overshadow tourism-related income sources, contributing to significant income inequality within the tourism sector. Recommendations for enhancing economic impact of wildlife based tourism include awareness creation, supporting existing investors, providing targeted sector support, income distribution and encouraging income source diversification.