Climate Change, Tourism and Construction in Himachal Pradesh: An Integrated Analysis of Economic Contributions, Labour Vulnerabilities and Adaptation Strategies

This research paper examines the interconnections between tourism and construction sectors in Himachal Pradesh, evaluating their contributions to economic growth, livelihoods and infrastructure development as well as the increasing challenges posed by climate change. The study employs a qualitative research design based on secondary sources, including government reports, policy documents and statistical data from institutions. Tourism contributes approximately 7-8% to Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) and generates approximately 11% of total employment (National Council of Applied Economic Research, 2021). The construction industry helps tourism expansion by facilitating transportation networks, accommodation and recreational facilities (Sood, 2025). However, rapid and unplanned expansion has raised significant environmental concerns. Reliance on informal labour, particularly among women, youth and migrant workers, has increased vulnerabilities related to job insecurity, poor working conditions and lack of social protection (Tiwari & Singh, 2021; Tiwari & Sher Singh, 2020). Climate change exacerbates these vulnerabilities. Increasing instances of extreme weather events, such as floods, landslides and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), have disrupted tourism flows, damaged infrastructure, strained water resources and impacted employment patterns in mountain ecosystems and rural communities (Sphere India, 2023; Chandel & Sharma, 2024). This paper identifies differential impacts on women, migrant workers, tribal communities, pastoralists and socio-economically disadvantaged groups, proposing policy recommendations for sustainable and climate-resilient development. Findings indicate 5,480 landslide incidents occurred in 2023, with Kullu district recording 2,600 cases (Sphere India, 2023), while approximately 70-80% of tourism workforce and 80-90% of construction workforce operate informally (Tiwari & Singh, 2021; Tiwari & Sher Singh, 2020).