The perceptual ceiling in fragile mountain regions

Stakeholder perspectives on destination resilience in a Himalayan borderland

Bibliographic Data

ID21070397
AuthorsIftikhar Ahmad Wani (0000-0001-8791-0303, University of Kashmir, corresponding author), Mohammad Muzamil Shah (0000-0002-1593-0791, Central University of Kashmir), Faizan Ashraf Mir (0009-0008-2983-1584, Central University of Kashmir), Budru Nissa (0009-0007-9470-9270, Indira Gandhi Technological and Medical Sciences University), Mehraj Ud Din Ganaie (0009-0000-6085-206X, Central University of Kashmir), Mohsin Majeed Ganaie (0009-0001-0991-1076, Central University of Kashmir), Tamana Kousar (0009-0005-9174-069X, Central University of Kashmir), Surjeet Singh (0000-0002-4646-2089, University of Kashmir), Jigmat Dachen (University of Ladakh)
Year2026
Pages1-14
Publication date2026-06-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueTourism Recreation Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0250-8281 • E-ISSN: 2320-0308
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/02508281.2026.2690979
OpenAlexW7166544378
LanguageEN
References cited53

Adventure sport tourism offers vital economic lifelines to fragile mountain borderlands; however, traditional destination competitiveness frameworks frequently overlook the systemic structural constraints and unequal power dynamics inherent in these geopolitically sensitive zones. Addressing this research gap, this study investigates the stakeholder ecosystem in the Himalayan borderland of Kashmir to examine the tension between idealized destination potential and operational realities. Utilizing a cross-sectional survey (N=508) of tourists, adventure operators, and local residents, the research identifies a significant structural-perceptual gap. Key findings reveal a ‘normalization of risk’ wherein all stakeholder groups prioritize marketing deficits and inadequate infrastructure as primary barriers, rating them significantly higher than acute safety concerns. Furthermore, a one-way ANOVA shows that local adventure operators perceive these developmental barriers more intensely than transient tourists, indicating acute supply-side operational exhaustion. By integrating Risk Perception and Stakeholder Theories, this research introduces the ‘Perceptual Ceiling’ and the ‘Price-Risk Nexus’ as preliminary theoretical propositions extending existing models. Ultimately, the study argues that destination management in fragile contexts must transition from superficial promotional optics to resilient, operations-based governance, utilizing formalized benefit-sharing to maintain a conditional social license to operate

Ceiling (cloud) · Perception · Psychological resilience · Resilience (materials science) · Stakeholder · Urban resilience · Adventure Sports and Sensation Seeking · Cryospheric studies and observations · Diverse Aspects of Tourism Research

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