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The present article aims to analyse the impact of pilgrim tourism on bilateral relations and to identify the mediating effect of people-to-people contact. It further proposes to test the framework empirically in the neighbouring context of India and Nepal. To achieve the objective, random sampling is used, and 380 usable questionnaires are taken for testing the theoretical framework. Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) is used to assess the framework's fit and analyse the impact of pilgrim tourism on bilateral diplomatic relations while using people-to-people contact as a mediating variable. The study findings reveal that pilgrim tourism has a direct impact on improving the bilateral diplomatic relationship between India and Nepal. It also shows that people-to-people contact between India and Nepal acts as a mediating variable between pilgrim tourism and bilateral diplomacy. In a vast country like India, which shares a border with many nations, pilgrim tourism and people-to-people contact have great potential to remove barriers and increase bilateral treaties for better development of the nation. The present research developed a measurement instrument about bilateral relations from the stakeholder's perspective. It also proposed a structural model to elucidate the relationships between pilgrim tourism, people-to-people contact and bilateral diplomacy.

The current article aims to analyse the effectiveness of the conversion of the Siachen Glacier into a peace park on India–Pakistan relations. It further investigates how the peace park can build mutual understanding leading to cooperation and peace between the two countries. The article presents the conceptual framework for adequate supervision of the Siachen Glacier jointly by India and Pakistan to mitigate the existing tensions and conflicts through tourism within the context of the tourism–peace nexus and peace park concept. The Siachen Peace Park proposition offers an amazing way out for the policymakers to diffuse tensions between the military establishments of India and Pakistan. Both the nations have been losing the lives of their soldiers among the snow-capped peaks not due to any gunfight but mainly because of climatic extremities and frostbite. The suggestion of the Siachen Peace Park has been explicated with the help of a four-stage peace park conversion model conceived by the authors, which gives a conceptual understanding of the outcomes of this Peace Park for both countries.

Purpose This paper aims to analyse the influence of perceived value (PV), sensation seeking (SS) and low crowding (LC) on the satisfaction and behavioural intention (BI) of Indian pilgrim tourists to Kartarpur Corridor, Pakistan. In addition, it identifies the mediation effect of satisfaction in the structural relationship between PV, SS and LC as exogenous variables and BI as an endogenous variable. Design/methodology/approach By using convenience sampling, out of 510 questionnaires distributed among the Indian pilgrim tourists returning from Kartarpur Sahib, Pakistan, a total of 404 completely filled surveys were used to evaluate the robustness of the theoretical framework. Data analysis and empirical testing of the suggested model are conducted using descriptive statistics, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling. Findings The results reveal that PV, SS and LC positively affect the satisfaction of tourists crossing an international boundary, while satisfaction is the positive and significant antecedent of BI. Moreover, the indirect effects of PV, SS and LC on BI via satisfaction are found to be significant. Originality/value The previous literature has not paid much attention to the satisfaction and BI of tourists crossing an international border. The present article contributes to the existing volume of knowledge related to the satisfaction and BI of cross-border tourists. The study results may be useful for tourism marketers to better understand the factors that affect the satisfaction and BI of cross-border tourists.

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