Assessing the Potential of Adventure Sports Tourism in Ladakh

Abstract

Background: Adventure sports tourism is expanding globally, and Ladakh holds significant potential due to its high-altitude landscapes and diverse natural resources.
Purpose: To explore the potential for adventure sports tourism within the Ladakh region. Methodology: This qualitative study employed purposive sampling and conducted interviews with 35 stakeholders, including government officials and tourism sector actors across Ladakh. Data were analysed through qualitative content analysis, supported by NVivo word-frequency queries.
Results: The study reveals that stakeholders primarily framed the potential of adventure tourism around natural landscapes and specific sub-regions, such as Suru, Zanskar, Nubra, and Drass, indicating a micro-destination perspective rather than a broad regional view. Key activities identified include trekking, mountaineering, rafting, skiing, and paragliding, with winter activities like Chadar trekking suggesting year-round potential. However, limited emphasis on infrastructure and services highlights a gap between natural resources and development readiness.
Conclusion: The study concludes that Ladakh’s adventure tourism potential can be enhanced through integrated, place-specific planning focused on improving access, safety regulations, capacity building, and infrastructure development.