How Effective Is a Buddhist Pilgrimage Circuit as a Product and Strategy for Heritage Tourism in India?

A study on the effectiveness of Buddhist pilgrimage circuits as a tourism strategy in India reveals that these circuits primarily function as cultural landscapes at a cognitive level, rather than distinct physical routes or products. While foreign Buddhist followers constitute less than 10% of visitors and are outnumbered by domestic tourists, the latter often do not complete the entire circuit, using some sites only for day trips or as mid-trip stops. Fieldwork at four sacred sites—Bodhgaya, Sarnath, Kushinagar, and Lumbini—showed that visitation patterns depend on factors like travel convenience, accommodation, ritual performance, and governance. Interviews with stakeholders highlighted the complexity of translating these circuits into effective tourism strategies.

Shinde, K. A. (2022). How Effective Is a Buddhist Pilgrimage Circuit as a Product and Strategy for Heritage Tourism in India? Heritage, 5(4), 3846–3863. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage5040198