Sustainable Tourism Development in India: Perception of Tourism Business Operators about Goa Tourism

This research paper examines the impacts of tourism on the economy, environment and society of Goa from the perspective of the tourism business operators to understand the sustainability of tourism development in Goa, and to identify the factors which are contributing to economic, environmental and socio-cultural sustainability of Goa. A questionnaire survey was conducted among the tourism business operators across the destinations of Goa. Descriptive statistics and factor analysis have used for examining the sustainability of Goa tourism. The descriptive statistics prove that tourism in goa is ensuring the economic and environmental sustainability of tourist destinations. The factor analysis discloses that the factors like resource exploitation, destination management, socio-cultural sustainability, destination empowerment, environmental management, resource management, destination development, community benefits of tourism, and economic empowerment determine the economic, environmental and socio-cultural sustainability of tourism development in Goa. The Government and tourism industry have to introduce improved programmes and strategies for sustainable exploitation of natural, social and cultural resources of Goa. The Government and tourism industry have to introduce improved programmes and strategies for sustainable exploitation of natural, social and cultural resources of Goa.