Role of positive and negative tourism impacts in shaping residents’ support for sustainable religious tourism: a case study of Lumbini, Nepal

Abstract

This study investigates how local communities in Lumbini, Nepal, perceive the outcomes of religious tourism by examining both its positive and negative dimensions. A household survey conducted between September 2022 and January 2023 reveals that residents’ support for tourism is largely shaped by perceived social, cultural, and economic benefits, while environmental drawbacks exert a more nuanced influence. Notably, support for tourism persisted despite ecological concerns, suggesting a trade-off mindset in which economic opportunities are prioritized over environmental sacrifices. Furthermore, the analysis demonstrates that a disaggregated assessment of positive and negative impacts provides stronger explanatory power for resident attitudes than a unidimensional approach. These findings advance theoretical refinements of Social Exchange Theory and yield practical implications for policymakers seeking to balance tourism development with sustainability and active community participation.

Cite this work

No public copy is stored for this record, so only the metadata is cited.

Stored only when both papers are in the corpus — 2 citations exist upstream.