The Militarised Opportunity-Risk Paradox Women’s Tourism Entrepreneurship in the Border Economy of Ladakh, India
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: This study examines how women-owned tourism enterprises navigate the opportunities and risks of operating in Ladakh’s militarised border economy, where military presence and tourism are closely intertwined. A stratified survey of 346 women entrepreneurs across Leh, Nubra Valley, Kargil-Zanskar and the Turtuk-Tyakshi border corridor was conducted between October 2024 and January 2025 and analysed using hierarchical multiple regression, one-way ANOVA and structural equation modelling (SEM). Military-client revenue, military proximity, and perceived opportunity positively predicted enterprise revenue (Adjusted R² = 0.583), whereas security disruption and perceived risk negatively predicted it. Revenue differed significantly across proximity zones (p < .001), and structural equation modelling (CFI = 0.957, RMSEA = 0.048) confirmed that proximity simultaneously generates opportunity and risk. Security disruptions were associated with an estimated annual loss of ₹44,600 per enterprise. The findings underscore the need for resilient tourism policies, streamlined permit systems and gender-responsive institutional support that convert gross border-zone opportunity into stable, risk-adjusted income for women entrepreneurs. The paper provides the first quantitative model of the militarised opportunity-risk paradox, demonstrating that military proximity measurably raises both revenue and vulnerability for women-owned enterprises in a conflict-adjacent tourism economy.
DOI: 10.66635/bgk9rp81
Institutions: University of Ladakh, Christ University
Language: English
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7203609159