Slum Dwellers’ Perceptions of Tourism in Dharavi, Mumbai

Abstract

The chapter presents a case study of slum tourism in Dharavi in Mumbai, India, where daily slum tours are taken to observe the lives of those who live and work in the slums. The authors firstly question the ethics of such a form of tourism and the extent to which it is intrusive in the lives of local inhabitants. While some authors and researchers defend the idea that slum tourism and slum tours may help to fight poverty and bring economic benefits, others are convinced that it is purely voyeuristic and a form of ‘poverty porn’. However, the research on this phenomenon from the perspective of the host communities has been very limited. This chapter therefore attempts to redress this gap and presents the results of interviews with slum dwellers and other stakeholder groups in Dharavi.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishe