Carrying capacity and strategic planning for sustainable tourism practices in the Char Dham from the Western Himalaya, India.

ABSTRACT: Development of sustainable tourism in the environmentally sensitive mountain regions is a challenging issue that deals with economical, natural, and cultural benefits along with preservation of social-ecological system. Today, the Indian Himalayan Region is experiencing reasonable growth in the pilgrimage tourism sector that necessitates an assessment of carrying capacity and sustainable practices. The present study evaluates the eco-tourism potential and sustainable tourism initiatives in the Char Dham (four shrines) in Uttarakhand state, where tourist numbers have grown from 1 million annually in the early 2000s to over 3 million recently, with a record 5 million visitors in 2023. The research employs multiple criteria decision analysis (MCDA) including geoscientific, bioscientific, soci

SUBMITTER: Kuniyal JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12534453 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature