Ketan Bhatt, Jeetesh Kumar, Sunil Kumar Kabia, Kumar Ashutosh, Claudia Seabra, Amit Gangotia

Abstract: Due to its immense contribution to national economies in income and employment generation, tourism has been identified as a significant tool to enhance the economic well-being of households. However, the research field of tourism and well-being remains contended in the existing literature. Therefore, the present study has been undertaken to examine the impact of tourism employment on households’ economic well-being. The research was conducted among 372 employees working in travel agencies and tour operators’ organisations in Haridwar and Dehradun, India. The researchers used the snowball sampling technique to locate respondents and used Google Forms to collect primary data. The research conceptual framework comprises three explanatory variables: income, benefits, and cost, and one outcome variable, namely expenditure (a measure of economic well-being). Data analysis was carried out by employing partial least squares-based structured equation modelling (PLS-SEM) with the help of the SmartPLS 4 software. Findings identified direct and positive relationships between the three exogenous variables (income, benefits, and cost) and an endogenous variable (expenditure). Overall findings suggest tourism employment as a significant contributor to households’ economic well-being and highlights implications in terms of both theory and practice.

Keywords: Tourism employment, economic well-being, PLS-SEM, households, social exchange theory