Dissertation (MSc Natural Resources Management)This research is about local people's participation in tourism development: a case of Idodi ward in Iringa Rural District. It was guided by three specific objectives which are: to examine the factors influencing local people's participation in tourism development in the area, to assess the extent of local people's participation in the tourism development decision-making process and to examine the contribution of Ruaha National Park on poverty reduction in the study area. A sample of 99 respondents was used in this research whereby probability and non-probability sampling techniques employed to select this sample size. Social survey and interviewed used as a method of data collection whereas questionnaires, interview guide and documentary review used as tools for data collection. The collected data collected were analysed in both qualitative and Quantitative techniques whereby the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS Version 21) was used for data management and analysis. The results from this study reveal that tourism has an influence for locals since it improving social services and provides employment opportunities in the study area. Moreover; the findings uncover that local people who are adjacent Ruaha National Park are willing to participate in tourism through their involvement in the industry is very low. The major cause of this is the lack of awareness which is due to a lack of initiatives to educate people about the tourism industry. Furthermore; the findings depict that the impacts brought by tourism in poverty reduction are to increase employment opportunities, increase the price of goods and services, and increase tourism awareness as well as to increase entrepreneurial training and improve household income. The study recommends that the government should provide appropriate education to locals so that locals to be aware of tourism and conservation issues. Additionally, it recommends the locals themselves to see that tourism through Ruaha National Park can be utilized to reduce their level of poverty.