Walking in Bodh Gaya: A Gendered Approach to the Analysis of Sustainable Tourism Policies

This chapter explores challenges associated with the walkability of a destination through a case study and from the perspective of women living in Bodh Gaya, India, who hail from more walking-friendly places. Bodh Gaya is a well-known Buddhist tourism destination that sees an abundance of pilgrims from across the globe. Apart from being home to the “Mahabodhi” temple, a world heritage site, the Nagar Panchayat boasts newer temples and monasteries funded by different countries, each of which contribute a distinct cultural experience, offering a multiverse of attractions for tourists. Tourism-related businesses form the backbone of the economy of Bodh Gaya. For such a renowned heritage tourism destination, walkability is relevant from various perspectives. However, the walkability of the destination remains limited, with attempts to improve it only introduced in 2018. We investigate this attempt to improve walkability by examining the experience of female university professors who joined the local Magadh University in 2018 and live in Bodh Gaya. We also use secondary data from newspapers that captures the point of view of stakeholders on improvements. We present focus group findings followed by qualitative interviews in light of interactions between Sustainable Development Goals 5 (gender equality), 8 (decent work and economic growth), 11 (sustainable cities and communities), and 12 (responsible consumption and production). We provide suggestions for policymakers in such urban planning situations and ideas to manage host population hostility toward visitors.