Digital Entrepreneurial Ecosystems and Women-Led Tourism Enterprises in the Himalayan Region

Abstract

Purpose: This study examines digital platform adoption, revenue outcomes and structural barriers among women-led tourism enterprises in Ladakh's emerging platform economy.
Design/methodology/approach: Using survey data from 346 women entrepreneurs across Leh, Nubra, Zanskar and Kargil collected between March and May 2025, the study employs descriptive statistics, regression analysis, ANOVA and structural equation modelling. Findings: Instagram and WhatsApp Business emerged as the dominant digital business platforms, significantly improving visibility and customer engagement. However, connectivity limitations, digital skill gaps and language barriers continue to constrain entrepreneurial growth, particularly in remote areas such as Zanskar.
Research limitations/implications: The cross-sectional design and self-reported revenue data restrict causal inference and findings apply to a single Union Territory. Practical implications: Connectivity investment should precede digital skills training, curricula should be multi-platform and Hindi and Ladakhi portal interfaces are priority interventions.
Originality/value: The study provides the quantitative analysis of women-led digital entrepreneurship in a peripheral Himalayan tourism economy and contributes evidence for platform localisation, digital literacy and connectivity-focused policy interventions. It further contributes to digital entrepreneurship literature by conceptualising digital platforms as infrastructural substitutes enabling entrepreneurial participation within geographically peripheral tourism economies.