From awareness to accessibility: decoding constraints to rural tourism among younger generations

Purpose This study investigates the key barriers limiting rural tourism participation among Millennials and Gen Z in India, examining their interrelationships through a generational lens to offer strategic insights for tourism stakeholders. Design/methodology/approach A two-phase mixed-method approach was employed. Phase one involved semi-structured interviews with 32 Millennials and 28 Gen Z respondents to identify and validate twelve critical barriers. In phase two, Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) and MICMAC analysis were applied to survey data from 112 Millennials and 88 Gen Zs to map hierarchical interdependencies and categorize the barriers by driving and dependence power. Findings Foundational issues such as healthcare inaccessibility, poor connectivity and transport challenges influence higher-level deterrents such as low engagement, trust deficits and sustainability scepticism. Millennials are primarily constrained by infrastructure and safety gaps, whereas Gen Z is affected by digital disconnection, FOMO, and financial limitations. The ISM-MICMAC models reveal distinct generational hierarchies among these barriers. Practical implications The study suggests generation-specific strategies–digital storytelling, gamified campaigns, infrastructure upgrades and smart tourism tools–to enhance rural tourism's appeal for younger travellers. Originality/value By integrating TPB, TAM and PPM frameworks with ISM-MICMAC modelling, this study provides a novel generationally segmented view of rural tourism constraints, offering theoretical and practical contributions to sustainable and youth-centric tourism development.