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<p>The Nubra valley in Ladakh, a high-altitude cold desert region of the Trans-Himalaya, offers substantial Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) that contribute significantly to human welfare and resource sustainability through services like aesthetics, recreation, deep-rooted spirituality and cultural identity. This research applies the Individual Travel Cost Method (ITCM) to economically appraise the CES perceived by tourists visiting Nubra Valley. Based on primary data from 100 respondents from major tourist locations, CES were classified into seven categories and evaluated for satisfaction and willingness to pay (WTP). Recreational and ecotourism services were found to be the most appreciated CES (38%), followed by aesthetic (25%) and spiritual values (15%). Tourists had a high average satisfaction score (9.12 ± 0.935) and WTP of ₹1200 for CES conservation. The Poisson regression model indicated a significant negative association between visitation frequency and travel cost (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01), with an overall estimated CES value of ₹1.07&#xa0;million. The results validate the economic and experiential worth of CES in Nubra valley and indicate the importance of infrastructure development and local participation for sustainable tourism planning. The study highlights the effectiveness of CES valuation in informing policy choices for preserving vulnerable cultural landscapes under growing tourism pressure in the Nubra valley of the Himalayan region.</p>

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Valuing tourist perception of cultural ecosystem services of Nubra Valley, Ladakh

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月28日

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  • Tsering Dolma,
  • Tsering Tashi,
  • Anchal Sharma,
  • Sanjay Kr. Uniyal

摘要

The Nubra valley in Ladakh, a high-altitude cold desert region of the Trans-Himalaya, offers substantial Cultural Ecosystem Services (CES) that contribute significantly to human welfare and resource sustainability through services like aesthetics, recreation, deep-rooted spirituality and cultural identity. This research applies the Individual Travel Cost Method (ITCM) to economically appraise the CES perceived by tourists visiting Nubra Valley. Based on primary data from 100 respondents from major tourist locations, CES were classified into seven categories and evaluated for satisfaction and willingness to pay (WTP). Recreational and ecotourism services were found to be the most appreciated CES (38%), followed by aesthetic (25%) and spiritual values (15%). Tourists had a high average satisfaction score (9.12 ± 0.935) and WTP of ₹1200 for CES conservation. The Poisson regression model indicated a significant negative association between visitation frequency and travel cost (p < 0.01), with an overall estimated CES value of ₹1.07 million. The results validate the economic and experiential worth of CES in Nubra valley and indicate the importance of infrastructure development and local participation for sustainable tourism planning. The study highlights the effectiveness of CES valuation in informing policy choices for preserving vulnerable cultural landscapes under growing tourism pressure in the Nubra valley of the Himalayan region.