Assessing perception and adaptation to climate change impacts on mountain tourism in the Eastern Himalayas

Climate change (CC) is the most severe challenges of the twenty-first century, which significantly impacts all the sectors including mountain tourism, particularly in the Himalayas, due to increased precipitation, cloudbursts, rising temperatures, and changing snowfall patterns. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the impacts of CC on mountain tourism in terms of perception, resilience, and adaptation for economic development and sustainable tourism practices. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the CC impacts on mountain tourism, of Tawang, a district in Arunachal Pradesh located in the Eastern Himalayas. The study was carried out utilising a purposive sampling approach, where primary data was collected through a questionnaire-based survey and interviews. The target population includes travel and tour operators, permanent employees, seasonal workers, and individuals whose livelihoods are directly dependent on tourism. Historical meteorological data from 1991 to 2020 were used to validate respondents’ perceptions through the Homogeneity test (Pettitt’s test) and trend analysis using Modified Mann–Kendall test (MMK). The Pettitt’s test identified significant temperature shifts in 2004 (mean temperature) and 1999 (minimum temperature) showing p-values below the significance level of α = 0.05, indicating statistically significant changes, while trend analysis revealed an increasing trend in annual precipitation, as well as mean and maximum temperatures with MMK- 1.972, 2.734 and 1.938, respectively. This study shows that the observed climatic changes align with local perceptions, reflecting a growing awareness of the impacts of climate change. As observed in this study, North-East India’s tourism potential is promising, but a lack of climate change awareness among locals could hinder effective adaptation strategies. This study also offers valuable insights for policymakers and stakeholders by suggesting the substantial effects of climate change on mountain tourism in this region.