Fear of Crime and Crime Victimization Among Tourists Visiting India: A Quandary?

• In Event: Place, Space, and Victimization

Abstract

One of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasizes promoting sustainable tourism, which includes ensuring safe travel to, moving within, and stay in India. According to the Indian Ministry of Tourism (2023), around 6.2 million tourists visited India, a significant drop from the 18 million recorded in 2019 before the COVID-19 lockdown. Although India is generally considered a safe country for foreign visitors, many tourists still face forms of victimization such as cheating, bullying, sexual offenses, and extortion. Official data confirms that, on average, 190 crimes against foreign tourists had been reported to the police each year over the last three years. While this number appears small, it is widely believed that many incidents go unreported. Using purposive sampling, data were collected through a self-reported questionnaire from 264 foreign tourists who visited India. The findings revealed that almost half (47%) of the respondents expressed moderate fear while visiting India, and 42% reported experiencing various forms of victimization, including physical assault, cheating by local vendors or travel guides, street harassment, and, in a small number of cases, sexual offenses. The presentation concludes by discussing the relationship between tourists’ fear of crime and victimization and relevant policy implications.

Authors

• Michael Loordhu Valan, OP Jindal Global University

• Edna Erez, University of Illinois Chicago