Evolving Host Socio-Demographical Determinants Towards Himalayan Handicraft Industry

1. Introduction

In today’s fast growing economy, tourism is one of the key drivers. India is among the popular tourist destinations in Asia. Indian tourism has stimulated dying interest and activity in several areas of the virtual and performing arts and crafts and has provided markets for goods that could never be supported by local demand; this is especially true for handicrafts (Joshi & Dhar, 2020). Handicrafts are unique handcrafted items made using simple tools with a decorative character that play a vital role in representing the culture and traditions of a region, as in the case of Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh is widely known for its hand-woven weaving and handicrafts, ranging from Chamba Rumal, miniature paintings of Kangra, Metal works, Himachali Topi, Kulu shawls and many others (Chawla, 2020). There is evidence that these products have a deep ancient history (Aryan & Gupta, 1993). The raw materials used in these products are unique in nature and are only found locally (HPTDC, 2021). The craft symbolizes its associated heritage, cultural traditions, craftsmanship and aesthetic creativity (Dasgupta & Chandra, 2016).