Vol. 6, Issue 1, Part D (2024)

Tourism is one of the largest and fastest growing sectors of the global economy, with significant positive and negative environmental, cultural, social and economic impacts. Pilgrimage tourism is one of the prerequisites for sustainable development and can be used as a means to address the impacts of tourism. This paper focuses on the sustainable development of pilgrimage tourism in Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh. Varanasi has become a tourist destination due to its wonderful and diverse religious tourism potential and rich cultural heritage. The main objective of this study is to identify the factors that shape tourism areas and hinder sustainable tourism development and to suggest appropriate measures for sustainable development of pilgrim tourism in Varanasi. A systematic field-based survey was conducted at selected tourist destinations within the study area. The results of the study provide practical suggestions and recommendations for the further development of tourism in the region.