Volume VI Special Issue IV April 2026

Name of Author : Sreejith T R, Divya Krishna

Title of the paper : Digital Divide in Rural Tourism: Barriers to Technology Adoption among Homestay Operators

Abstract: The Tourism sector in India had experienced vibrant transformation due to rapid expansion of digital economy. However, the benefits of digital transformation remain unevenly distributed, particularly in rural tourism ecosystems. The study examines the digital divide in rural tourism, focusing on barriers to technology adoption among homestay operators. Even though digital tools such as online booking platforms, digital payments, and social media marketing offer opportunities for market expansion and income enhancement, many rural homestay operators remain partially or fully excluded from these benefits. Grounded on Amartya Sens Capability Approach, the study conceptualizes that digital inclusion is not merely the access to internet infrastructure but the expansion of real capabilities, skills and opportunities to participate in digital tourism markets. The research utilizes the ICT4D Information and Communication Technologies for Development framework to analyse how access, adoption and local context shape digital participation outcomes. The findings of the research argue that bridging digital divide in rural tourism requires integrated policy interventions combining infrastructure development, digital literacy training, and capacity building. By positioning rural homestay operators within wider debates on digital capability and inclusive growth .The study contributes to policy oriented discourse on harnessing technology for equitable socio economic development.

Keywords : Digital Divide; Rural Tourism; Homestay Operators; Digital Literacy; Capability Approach; ICT4D; Inclusive Growth; Digital Inclusion; Tourism Development

DOI :

Page Number : 256-265