Examining the Gendered Consequences of Tourism Development on the Tibetan Community in Himachal Pradesh: A Comprehensive Analysis of Economic, Social and Cultural Impacts

his study aims to investigate and analyze the perceptions of the Tibetan community residing in four prominent districts of Himachal Pradesh, namely Kangra, Kullu, Mandi, and Shimla,
regarding the socio-cultural and economic impacts of tourism development. Data was collected from residents of these districts who belong to the Tibetan community, and analyzed
using descriptive statistics. To understand the perceptions of males and females separately, the Mann Whitney U test of independence was employed. The findings indicated that there
were no significant differences in the perceptions of males and females regarding the social, cultural, economic, and socio- cultural challenges posed by tourism. Both genders perceived
tourism to have a positive impact on the economy and somewhat positive impact on socio-cultural issues and challenges related to the Tibetan community, while the impact of tourism on the culture of the community was perceived as neutral.