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Book part
Publication date: 13 May 2021

Vikas Gupta and Pranshu Chomplay

The purpose of this study is to find out the negative environmental, cultural and socio-economic effects of overtourism at prominent tourist destination in India focussing upon…

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to find out the negative environmental, cultural and socio-economic effects of overtourism at prominent tourist destination in India focussing upon Shimla. As well, the study will also try to identify the changes in the residents’ perceptions at these tourism sites experiencing overtourism. It will be based on the review of previous literature to find out the significant negative effects of tourism-related activities on the residents' attitudes and perceptions related to tourists. It will also discuss the negative impacts of overtourism on the overall destination image using the case study approach. It is confirmed through the study findings that overtourism has caused severe environmental, economic and socio-cultural impressions at the tourist destinations under study. It is also revealed that overtourism at these destinations has caused the increased water consumption, collection of huge litter masses, improper waste disposal and air pollution due to vehicular and other sources owing to upsurge in tourist activities. In the tourist destinations under study, overtourism has caused difficulties for the locals as the prices have risen and short-term rentals have caused housing shortages. These findings will be useful for the stakeholders in the tourism sector in India to devise strategies to prevent the over-exploitation of resources and take sufficient measures to reverse the negative impacts and simultaneously promote these destinations for sustainable tourism growth.

Details

Overtourism as Destination Risk
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-83909-707-2

Keywords

Book part
Publication date: 18 December 2009

Anshu Sharma

Shimla is a teeming city, with a population of 140,000, in the north Indian Himalayas. It sits in an area of high seismicity that was rocked by a devastating earthquake about a…

Abstract

Shimla is a teeming city, with a population of 140,000, in the north Indian Himalayas. It sits in an area of high seismicity that was rocked by a devastating earthquake about a hundred years ago, yet is oblivious of the ticking time bomb below its foundations. Initiating risk reduction in this fast growing urban economic hub is an enormous challenge. SEEDS, a national NGO, started working in the city just before the earthquake centenary in 2005, with an aim to identify ways of reducing earthquake risk through actions that could be carried out by the citizens and the local government, with school children playing a catalytic role.

Details

Urban Risk Reduction: An Asian Perspective
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-84855-907-3

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2006

Manu Gupta, Anshu Sharma and Rajesh Kaushik

Shimla is a teeming city, with a population of 140,000. It is located in the north Indian Himalayas, in an area of high seismicity that was rocked by a devastating earthquake a…

Abstract

Shimla is a teeming city, with a population of 140,000. It is located in the north Indian Himalayas, in an area of high seismicity that was rocked by a devastating earthquake a hundred years ago. However, it is oblivious of the ticking time bomb below its foundations. Initiating risk reduction in this fast growing urban economic hub is an enormous challenge. A national non-governmental organisation (NGO) called SEEDS (Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society) started working in the city just before the earthquake centenary, with the aim to identify ways of reducing earthquake risk through actions that could be carried out by the citizens and the local government.

The experience has been unique, and has led to further refinement of the community action planning approach that SEEDS (Sustainable Environment and Ecological Development Society) has picked up and worked with over the last ten years in different vulnerable communities in the region. What emerges from the experience is a mix of tools for the improvement of technical aspects, community-based working approaches and governance for risk reduction. It is evident that community-local government-NGO partnerships are the key to solving such acute problems as earthquake safety in a resource strapped, vulnerable city. The assessment and planning phases initiate the building of these partnerships in the early stages of the process.

This paper is an attempt to share the experience of developing and testing a community based urban risk reduction approach for a city at extreme earthquake risk.

Details

Open House International, vol. 31 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0168-2601

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 5 October 2022

Pinaz Tiwari and Nimit Chowdhary

This study aims to explore the good crowding effect among Indian domestic travellers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of the city destination. This study uses the…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to explore the good crowding effect among Indian domestic travellers during the COVID-19 pandemic in the context of the city destination. This study uses the framework of social motivation theory to achieve the objective.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a qualitative research design by taking the case of Shimla, Himachal Pradesh. Using purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 37 respondents, and themes were drawn manually.

Findings

The analysis found four themes that create a good crowding effect among domestic tourists, namely, convenience and price; familiarity and place attachment; social affiliation; and safety. The themes indicated that despite the pandemic, and constant occurrences of new variants, Indian domestic tourists’ on-site attitude towards crowding was favourable.

Research limitations/implications

Firstly, the good crowding effect during the pandemic could have been better understood using empirical data. Secondly, the results cannot be generalized, specifically for developed economies.

Practical implications

This study offers practical implications to destination managers and local administrative bodies for whom achieving sustainability in urban tourism has always been concerning. These include developing infrastructural facilities, encouraging cultural activities in city centres and improving the perception of safety to sustain the good crowding effect.

Social implications

The affective dimension involved in making a travelling decision played a significant role in the post-pandemic phase. While suppliers needed survival, tourists needed social affiliation and escape from the mandated home isolation due to multiple phases of COVID-19 lockdown in India. This study adds value to society by emphasising that the need for social affiliation among travellers remains intact, and the tourism industry should embrace this transformation.

Originality/value

While most of the pandemic-related studies criticised crowd and tourists’ crowd averting behaviour, this study reported that the good crowding effect could also be an outcome owing to different factors. Therefore, this study offers distinctive nuance of tourists’ behaviour in the post-COVID-19 phase, allowing destination managers and tourism stakeholders to re-think their strategies.

Details

International Journal of Tourism Cities, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2056-5607

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 June 2016

Anupriya Kaur, Abhilasha Chauhan and Yajulu Medury

– The purpose of this paper is to evaluate tourist destinations’ image based on the attributes obtained from the extant literature using correspondence analysis.

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to evaluate tourist destinations’ image based on the attributes obtained from the extant literature using correspondence analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is aimed at measuring and illustrating destination image of tourism destinations perceived by domestic tourists. Five tourism destinations – Ooty, Shimla, Manali, Mussoorie and Mount Abu were selected as the subject of the study. Based on a representative sample of 800 respondents from the surveys across destinations, correspondence analysis was employed to illustrate an attribute based comparative analysis of the destination image of the tourist destinations.

Findings

Findings reveal that the attribute natural attraction was positively perceived by respondents across all destinations and the attribute infrastructure emerged as an area in need of dire attention. Further, the most dominant attributes which marked destinations’ positioning were – local cuisine and food outlets, hotels and restaurants, famous handicraft and parking facilities.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study need to be integrated with qualitative studies to explore the underlying reasons for the perceived destination image.

Practical implications

These results provide direction to policy makers and practitioners to visualize their destinations’ competitive standing relative to their competitors’ strengths and weaknesses. This tourist-derived intelligence presents an opportunity to take advantage of its current position, or if necessary, optimally reposition itself.

Originality/value

This paper documents research that was the first to systematically capture and comparatively illustrate the destination image of Indian tourist destinations.

Details

Asia Pacific Journal of Marketing and Logistics, vol. 28 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1355-5855

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 September 2013

Poonam Mahajan

Oral health is an integral part of the general health, however, oral health has been given lower priority than other health problems especially among the underprivileged refugee…

Abstract

Purpose

Oral health is an integral part of the general health, however, oral health has been given lower priority than other health problems especially among the underprivileged refugee population. Out of total refugees in the world, 70 percent of the refugees belong to Tibet. The purpose of this paper is to assess the dental caries status and treatment needs of Tibetans residing in Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, India and to explore and suggest better oral health care delivery to them.

Design/methodology/approach

Tibetans above the age of 12 years were included in this cross-sectional study. American Dental Association Type-3 examination was conducted. Data regarding demography and oral health practices was recorded on a structured format. For recording dental caries, dentition status and treatment need index was used. The data were analyzed using the SPSS statistical software. χ2 test, student t-test, and ANOVA test were used.

Findings

A total of 18,831 teeth were examined among which 82 percent were sound, 16.7 percent decayed, 0.7 percent were filled without decay, 0.1 percent filled with decay, 0.03 percent were bridge abutments and 0.15 percent teeth had traumatic injury. The mean DMFT was 7.3 and it was increasing with the age. Mean number of teeth requiring one surface filling, two or more surface filling, pulp therapy, and extraction was 1.27, 0.39, 0.21, and 2.08, respectively.

Originality/value

The study revealed low prevalence of dental caries among Tibetans and dental treatment requirement steadily increased with the advancement of age and was also related to other factors like poverty, education, and their tough life where oral health is given no priority.

Details

International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-9894

Keywords

Abstract

Details

Building Resilient Urban Communities
Type: Book
ISBN: 978-1-78350-906-5

Article
Publication date: 21 September 2010

Kunal Sharma, Deepak Sood, Amarjeet Singh and Pallvi Pandit

The purpose of the paper is to unravel a strategic architecture for e‐learning for a traditional university like Himachal Pradesh University (H.P. University) and provide…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to unravel a strategic architecture for e‐learning for a traditional university like Himachal Pradesh University (H.P. University) and provide guidelines as to how to carry the implementation of e‐learning for the university of the future.

Design/methodology/approach

Getting to the future first is not just about excelling competitors bent on reaching the same prize. It is also concerning having one's own view of what the prize is. There can be as many prizes as runners; imagination is the only restraining factor. The paper provides a literature review for a traditional university like H.P. University to venture into e‐learning.

Findings

To venture into e‐learning, H.P. University will have to reengineer itself, understand how competition will differ in the future and capture and refine insights into future opportunities.

Research limitations/implications

The paper has limitations that it presents a review of literature from secondary sources.

Practical implications

The paper provides guidelines as to how to implement e‐learning which will be beneficial for both the staff and the students.

Originality/value

The paper advocates the concept of strategic thinking in the education sector for implementing e‐learning.

Details

International Journal of Educational Management, vol. 24 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0951-354X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 26 April 2011

Dhirendra Sharma, Hemant Sharma and Vikram Singh

The purpose of this paper is to study and analyse the information communication technology‐based growth and diffusion of research using e‐journals for two universities belonging…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study and analyse the information communication technology‐based growth and diffusion of research using e‐journals for two universities belonging to different states in the western Himalayan region of India.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses an assessment period for the analysis of usage of e‐journals of 36 months from 2007‐2009. It demonstrates a relative comparison of the usage of e‐journals within the framework of a logistic model and the S‐curve. In the process, the status of internet users, from international level to national and university level, is also analysed.

Findings

Owing to the rapid technological growth and its phase‐wise development, the “Replacement hypothesis” does not permit the expectation of a smoother behaviour in the cumulative growth in internet users and consequently the usage of e‐journals in these universities. A simple statistical analysis of the usage was also undertaken. The coefficient of variation shows a wide fluctuation for four out of 12 publishing houses. Compound growth rate was also calculated and analysed for the two universities. A typical case of usage of e‐journals from one publishing house was also analysed more thoroughly with a likely future projection.

Research limitations/implications

This analysis reflects the limitations inherent in the logistic model, particularly the linear growth rate and the appearance of the inflection point at Xs/2 in the S‐curve.

Originality/value

The paper presents an in‐depth analysis of growth and diffusion of usage of e‐journals in two universities located in the western Himalayan region of India, for the first time. It also projects the usage of e‐journals, reflecting research progress, until the time of saturation in the S‐curve of each of the universities in the region.

Details

Program, vol. 45 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0033-0337

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 1 March 2002

Jyoti Trehan

The independence of India from the British Empire was marked by its partition into two countries, viz India and Pakistan. As a corollary to independence and partition of India…

Abstract

The independence of India from the British Empire was marked by its partition into two countries, viz India and Pakistan. As a corollary to independence and partition of India, 500‐odd princely states which had direct relationship with the British Empire were required to integrate with either India or Pakistan — the successor states. The process of integration of princely states was not without its highs and lows. Some of the princely states, like Hyderabad, Junagarh and Jammu and Kashmir, posed quite a few problems at the time of integration for several reasons, namely the inclination of its rulers, the religious component of the local population and the competing interests of the two successor states, India and Pakistan. Hyderabad and Junagarh were favourably resolved in India's favour. Integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India was not a smooth affair. It was only after Pakistan‐aided forces including the Pakistan army had invaded Jammu and Kashmir that the then ruler of Jammu and Kashmir signed the instrument of accession in India's favour. With the instrument of accession, India had a locus standi to protect its territory in Jammu and Kashmir by military means. The salvage operation of throwing the Pakistan‐aided forces and Pakistan military out of Jammu and Kashmir could not be accomplished fully, because India agreed that the United Nations, to which the Kashmir dispute was to be referred, would help in the resolution of the Kashmir issue within the accepted legal framework which was in India's favour. However, India's experience with the United Nations was a great disappointment. In fact India had put so much faith in the United Nations that it even agreed to a plebiscite in Kashmir for resolving the dispute, subject to the condition that Pakistan vacated the illegally occupied areas of Jammu and Kashmir. India need not have agreed to a plebiscite in Jammu and Kashmir, but it did so because of its abiding faith in democratic principles, notwithstanding the legal framework on the basis of which the integration of other princely states with the successor states was carried out. To date, Pakistan has not vacated what is today called ‘Pakistan‐occupied Kashmir’. On top of that, in 1962 China gobbled up a large part of Kashmir in the north‐east, on the basis of a boundary dispute which it raised with India and which has yet to be resolved. To make matters still worse and more complicated, Pakistan ceded a part of Pakistan‐occupied territory to China. Thus the situation, as of today, is that 45.7 per cent of the 222,336 sq. km area of Jammu and Kashmir is with India, 35.1 per cent is with Pakistan and 19.2 per cent is with China. Apart from a war with China, two more full‐scale wars have been fought with Pakistan over Kashmir; the 1965 war, which was confined to the western theatre, and the 1971 war. The 1965 war was a short one and through the Soviet Union's mediation, an agreement was arrived at which was to no one's advantage and more or less restored the status quo ante. Following the 1971 war with Pakistan, India was in an advantageous position, because East Pakistan had ceded from West Pakistan and emerged as an independent country, the two‐nation theory to which Pakistan subscribed as the basis for partition of India into two successor states of India and Pakistan had been exploded; India had 90,000 Pakistan prisoners of war and it had also made large gains on the western front by occupying certain strategic positions. It was from this position of strength in 1971 that India decided that the Kashmir dispute had to be resolved bilaterally by India and Pakistan without any foreign intervention; a doctrine to which Pakistan subscribed at that point of time. In fact, India approached the bilateral talks between the two countries in a spirit of magnanimity. As a first step, India decided to return to Pakistan 90,000 prisoners of war. It agreed to a fresh demarcation of the Line of Control (including withdrawal from several strategic positions) on the unwritten understanding that this Line of Control, over a period of time, based on good neighbourly relations with Pakistan — supplemented by economic ties — would ultimately result in its becoming a de jure border from a de facto border with Pakistan; though the officially stated position continues to be that the whole of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India. The 1971 agreement with Pakistan, which is also called the ‘Shimla Agreement’, thus constitutes the principal plank for the settlement of the Kashmir issue with Pakistan on a bilateral basis.

Details

Journal of Financial Crime, vol. 9 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1359-0790

1 – 10 of 173