Code to tell tourists what to wear & how
A foreign tourist checking-in a hotel in the country is now likely to be informed about the local customs, beliefs and laws, besides the places to be visited. He or she will also be advised on what to wear and how. Further, the owners of hotels, guest houses, lodges, motels and other service providers will have to ensure that their premises or services were not used for sex tourism, child pornography, child sexual abuse and substance abuse, besides other crimes like trafficking and soliciting.
All this will become possible as and when the hotels, guest houses, motels, lodges and other tourism-related service providers will become signatory to the “code of conduct for safe and honourable tourism” that was unveiled here on Thursday by Union tourism minister Kumari Selja.
Speaking after unveiling the code, Mr Selja said: “We (all the stakeholders in tourism) have resolved to be the eyes and ears for responsible tourism. There have been certain disturbing instances which reflect poorly on our attitude towards women. The onus is on each of us to make India a safe and honourable tourism destination.”
Ms Selja added that a campaign on the lines of “Atithi Devo Bhava”, which also deals with treating women tourists with dignity, needed to be launched to sensitise the incoming tourists to refrain from indulging in any such activity that “might disturb the social fabric of the country”. Under the guidelines, the owners of hotels and other premises are expected to be the first to inform the police about any activity of incident that is in violation of the laws or involves outraging modesty of women tourists or harassment. They are supposed to appoint two persons who would liaise with the law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders like NGOs to give information about any untoward activity and also to give protection to the victims of exploitation.
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