State working on comprehensive plan for gender-inclusive tourism

Asserting that Kerala is perhaps the only State in the world willing to openly acknowledge shortcomings in the gender inclusivity of its tourism destinations, Sikha Surendran, Director, Kerala Tourism, said the State is working on a comprehensive project to address all such barriers in the near future.

“Kerala Tourism is keen on removing all forms of barriers at destinations for people of all genders and age groups, in consultation with stakeholders,” she said, drawing a loud round of applause from the audience. Ms. Surendran was addressing the session titled Gender Inclusivity at the Heart of Tourism as part of the Kerala for All conclave, jointly organised by Kerala Tourism and The Hindu.

Participatory

Speaking at the session, Preeja Rajan, State Coordinator of UN Women, said women should not only be able to visit destinations but also be visibly represented there, as true gender inclusivity must be both experiential and participatory. “The presence of more women in tourism spaces helps enhance the sense of safety among women travellers,” she noted.

Monolita Chatterjee, urban designer and architect, pointed out that public spaces in India are often designed without consideration for different types of bodies. “If we can make cities inclusive for women, they automatically become inclusive for women travellers as well. The real issue is that barriers are not properly understood. Many of these could be addressed through simple design decisions,” she said.

Poor connectivity

Soity Banerjee, Responsible Tourism strategist, raised concerns about the safety of women employed in the tourism sector, highlighting last-mile connectivity as a major challenge. “Poor connectivity forces many women travellers to retreat after sundown,” she observed.

Responding to the concern, Ms. Surendran pointed out that Kerala has made significant strides in this area by providing behavioural training to cab drivers. She also spoke of plans by the Tourism department to expand a network of women-run toilets for women travellers. “The government will provide incentives for operating such facilities, which will go a long way in addressing these concerns,” she said.