Community non-participation in homestays in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India

Sood, Jyoti; Lynch, Paul; Anastasiadou, Constantia

Abstract

An upsurge in popularity of homestays has provided newer economic opportunities to remote Indian Himalayan communities. Despite the benefits homestays offer, their acceptance by mountain communities is fraught with challenges. This qualitative research study has listened to and given voice to homestay scheme non-participants, community members from 15 villages in the Kullu region. Through thematic analysis, rational, understandable reasons leading to decisions not to engage are identified: socio-cultural; practical and apprehensions. Reasons include an inability to comply with certain guidelines of the scheme, inadequacy in sanitary infrastructure, gender roles, complex socio-cultural issues and also home model issues, which all condition the scheme implementation. The concept of ‘deliberate non-participation’ is advanced which extends previous typologies of community participation. Further theoretical and practical implications of the study are discussed along with recommendations for future development of the homestay scheme

Citation

Sood, J., Lynch, P., & Anastasiadou, C. (2017). Community non-participation in homestays in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh, India. Tourism Management, 60, 332-347. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2016.12.007

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 9, 2016
• Online Publication Date: Dec 23, 2016
• Publication Date: 2017-06
• Deposit Date: Jan 4, 2017
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 24, 2018
• Journal: Tourism Management
• Print ISSN: 0261-5177
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 60
• Pages: 332-347
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2016.12.007
• Keywords: Homestay, Himalayas, socio-cultural sensibilities, constraints, community non- participation
• Public URL: http://researchrepository.napier.ac.uk/Output/459189