ANNOUNCEMENTS
This study investigates how diverse stakeholders perceive and prepare for sustainable tourism in the Solan and Shimla districts of Himachal Pradesh, India. Building on theories of pro-environmental decision making and formative measurement, it moves beyond traditional economic valuation toward a perception-based framework. A mixed-mode survey captured insights from tourists, local residents, accommodation providers, tour operators, and NGOs. Principal-component analysis distilled four core dimensions—Awareness of sustainability concepts, perceived Barriers to action, Trust in information sources, and Commitment to sustainable behaviours—validating their cross-contextual relevance. These dimensions informed the construction of a formative Sustainability Readiness Index (SRI), integrating past behaviour, future intention, and resource availability. Nonparametric comparisons revealed meaningful differences in readiness among stakeholder groups, while regression analyses demonstrated that Commitment consistently emerged as the strongest predictor of readiness. Perceived Barriers inhibited readiness among demand-side actors, and Awareness translated into action primarily where organizational capacity existed. Trust played a nuanced role, varying by stakeholder context. These findings underscore the importance of behavioural intention and resource sufficiency in fostering sustainable tourism and highlight persistent infrastructural and cost-related challenges for visitor and resident engagement. By integrating dimensionality reduction with a formative readiness index, this research offers a robust methodological template for sustainability assessment and generates actionable insights for policymakers and industry practitioners aiming to tailor interventions, reduce perceived obstacles, and leverage high-readiness groups to catalyse broader community adoption of sustainable tourism practices.
Keywords: Sustainable tourism; Stakeholder perceptions; Principal-component analysis; Formative readiness index.
