Thirty Years of Climate and Land-Cover Change and its Effects on Tourism Resources in Valley of Flower National Park

A thirty-year analysis of climate and land-cover changes in the Valley of Flowers National Park reveals that rising temperatures and reduced rainfall have altered trekking conditions, decreasing risks like landslides and mountain sickness while enhancing scenic greenery. However, these shifts also reduce the visibility of animals, waterfalls, and snow, which could drive short-term 'last chance tourism' before long-term declines in visitor appeal due to ecosystem degradation. The study employs a hazard-activity pairs method, combining environmental factors with tourism activities, and recommends efficient management of heathlands as a mitigation strategy.

Bhattacharya, U., Singh, A., & Jolly, R. (2024). Thirty Years of Climate and Land-Cover Change and its Effects on Tourism Resources in Valley of Flower National Park. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 1285(1), 12021. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1285/1/012021