Sustainable Tourism and Marketing Strategies in Homestay Businesses A Cross-Sectional Comparative Study of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand

Homestays have become a significant part of sustainable tourism in India, especially in states of Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand, whose major tourist attractions are scenic landscapes and cultural heritage. The study is a cross-sectional comparative study discussing homestay businesses in the two states on sustainable tourism practices, service quality, and marketing strategies. Structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were used to survey 200 respondents, including homestay owners and guests. A quantitative data analysis was conducted with the help of descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and regression. Findings show that the most substantial impact on visitor satisfaction is created by service quality (b = 0.46, p < 0.001), then sustainability initiatives (b = 0.32, p < 0.01), and marketing approaches (b = 0.28, p < 0.05). The regression model explains 62 percent of the variation in the level of satisfaction, hence the critical nature of these variables in promoting positive tourist experiences. The research will advance the academic field of tourism because the satisfaction framework incorporates sustainability and marketing factors, which have historically focused solely on service quality. In reality, the findings propose that homestay operators should focus on tailored services and environmentally friendly operations, and state tourism agencies should strengthen digital infrastructure and capacity-building initiatives. The gaps in the research include the lack of comparative evidence across geographical areas and recommend future studies using larger samples and longitudinal studies.