RISK PERCEPTION OF INTERNATIONAL TOURISTS AT WORLD HERITAGE SITES: A CASE STUDY OF AJANTA CAVES, MAHARASHTRA

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the impact of crises and resultant risk perception of tourist on their travel intentions at the world heritage site of Ajanta in Maharashtra by using quantitative method. A taxonomy of underlying factors of risk perception such as travel risk, destination risk and safety concerns along with the risk types such as financial, health, physical, crime, terrorism, social, psychological and natural disasters risks are studied in detail. Factor analysis was used to measure internal risk perception. The effect of information sources such as mass media, advertising etc. in respect to external risk perception are studied in detail. This study would be helpful to decrease risk perception of tourist by developing different strategies which could be adopted by the various stakeholders of tourism industry, in and around Ajanta caves for sustainable tourism development.