Toward sustainable river tourism in the Brahmaputra River Basin: A socio-ecological perspective on climate adaptation, smart tourism, and community well-being
River tourism has emerged as an important means of promoting sustainable regional development, especially in ecologically and culturally important destinations. However, increasing climatic variability, technological transformation, and growing community expectations pose significant challenges to the long-term sustainability of the river tourism system. This study explores the future of sustainable river tourism in the Brahmaputra River Basin, Assam, India, through a socio-ecological perspective informed by resilience theory and socio-ecological systems (SES) theory. Using a qualitative exploratory case study design, the research investigated stakeholders’ perceptions of climate adaptation, smart tourism, community well-being, and governance processes. A total of 24 semi-structured interviews were conducted between February and November 2025 with key stakeholders involved in the development of river tourism, including community leaders, tourism entrepreneurs, service providers, government officials, environmental practitioners, and tourism researchers. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis involving open, axial, and selective coding. The results revealed four interconnected themes that shape the future of sustainable river tourism: (i) climate resilience and adaptive planning, (ii) smart tourism and digital governance, (iii) community participation and social inclusion, and (iv) integrated governance for sustainable tourism futures. The study shows that sustainable tourism thrives through the dynamic interplay between environmental resilience, digital adaptive capacity, community legitimacy, and adaptive governance. Based on these findings, the study proposes an adaptive sustainability framework that extends existing resilience-based tourism research by integrating environmental, technological, and social aspects in the context of a socio-ecological system. These findings provide practical insights for policymakers and destination managers looking to strengthen climate adaptive capacity, promote inclusive governance, and encourage sustainable tourism transformation in ecologically fragile river destinations.
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