{ "background": "The global tourism industry faces increasing pressure to adopt sustainable practices. In emerging economies, particularly in Africa, the integration of sustainability into core business operations presents unique challenges and opportunities. Tanzanian tourism, a significant economic sector, is at a critical juncture where innovation in business models is essential for long-term viability and ecological preservation.", "purpose and objectives": "This study aims to explore the processes, drivers, and barriers of sustainable business model innovation within the Tanzanian tourism sector. It seeks to understand how local enterprises conceptualise and operationalise sustainability within their value creation, delivery, and capture mechanisms.", "methodology": "A qualitative, interpretivist methodology was employed. Data were collected via in-depth, semi-structured interviews with 24 founders and senior managers of tourism enterprises, complemented by documentary analysis of business plans and sustainability reports. A thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo software.", "findings": "A dominant theme was the strategic reconceptualisation of 'value', where over two-thirds of participants framed environmental stewardship not as a cost but as a core competitive asset. A key finding is that successful innovation was heavily dependent on building hyper-localised supply chains and community equity partnerships, which enhanced resilience but required significant relational investment.", "conclusion": "Sustainable business model innovation in this context is a complex, socially embedded process that extends beyond technological adoption. It necessitates a fundamental re-alignment of stakeholder relationships and a deep integration of local socio-ecological systems into the enterprise's value proposition.", "recommendations": "Policymakers should develop tailored capacity-building programmes focusing on stakeholder management and impact measurement for tourism SMEs. Industry associations are recommended to facilitate peer-learning networks to share best practices in community-inclusive model design.", "key words": "sustainable business models, innovation, tourism, qualitative research, Tanzania, stakeholder integration", "contribution statement": "This paper provides a novel, empirically grounded framework illustrating the centrality of relational capital and place-based embeddedness as critical success factors for sustainable business model innovation in an African tourism