Reimagining Tourism Sustainability in the North-Western Himalayas: A Community-Based Perspective

In contemporary times, the prominence of inclusive tourism participation is gaining traction worldwide. This research examines the residents' perspectives on sustainable tourism development in the north-western Himalayas and determines the theoretical validity of the sustainable tourism attitude scale (SUS-TAS). For carrying out the study, a random survey technique with a structured questionnaire (N = 351) has been used at Sonamarg, which forms the ideal site for assessing community perceptions toward sustainable tourism. An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) with Varimax rotation was employed to identify the SUS-TAS dimensions. Our findings support the seven SAS-TAS dimensions with 42 items that maintained validity and reliability. Overall, the study findings infer that in six out of seven factors, residents' level of agreement was above 70%. These insights highlight the quintessence of incorporating residents' attitudes in the intersection of the decision-making process and tourism planning strategies. By quantifying residents' perceptions of sustainable tourism, it becomes feasible to prioritize management measures in concert with the rights of the local community. Furthermore, this study forms the basis for a prospective sustainable tourism framework in mountain tourist destinations worldwide and in the Himalayan belt particularly owing to the growing tourist footprint in the region.