Barriers to local community participation in tourism development: Evidence from mountainous state Uttarakhand, India

Local community involvement, particularly in emerging and remote tourism destinations, is justified to accomplish sustainable tourism development efforts. Despite the benefits that tourism development offer, participation of community in geographically disadvantaged mountainous destinations is accompanied with many challenges. This qualitative investigation has understood and given voice to local residents of two emerging destinations of Uttarakhand, India. Data were gathered through interviews and were thematically examined. Findings reveal four key barriers that affect community participation in tourism development: practical, socio-cultural, apprehension and institutional. The study emphasizes the need for both greater advocacy of community participation, better synchronization among concerned government authorities, education and training for locals, and the need to design particular strategies which can encourage local participation that are customized to emerging destination context