Mapping Urban Transformation in Himachal Pradesh: A Geospatial Exploration of Tourism-Driven Development

Celebrated for its stunning landscapes, Himachal Pradesh has become a renowned tourist destination, experiencing a surge in visitors. Since the 1980s, the state has witnessed significant economic growth, supported by a boom in the tourism industry. This research aims to correlate tourism with economic growth and analyse the unique tourism-driven development of Himachal Pradesh. We used urban built-up areas in key tourist hotspots as a proxy, and employed Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and visual interpretation techniques to examine urban growth around Solang Valley, Bhagsunag Temple, Chail, Kufri, and Khajjiar from 1990 to 2020. Historical Landsat satellite imagery was utilised to quantify urban built-up changes. The findings revealed a significant increase in built-up areas within all tourist buffer zones, with Bhagsunag Temple showing the most dramatic growth (~1000%). Non-tourist locations with similar demographics showed an average increase of 55%, compared to 427% in tourist buffers. This study demonstrates that built-up areas have expanded more rapidly in tourist areas, highlighting the substantial impact of tourism on urban growth. These findings suggest the need for further exploration into tourism, policy studies, and economics in Himachal Pradesh.