India’s tourism ministers resolve again to promote safe and secure tourism

Ministers attending the second national conference of state tourism ministers today adopted a resolution to ensure safety and cleanliness at tourist destinations and promote sustainable tourism, ensuring public participation.

The day-long conference deliberated on various issues and agreed that the departments of tourism of all states and union territories would endeavour to promote responsible and pro-poor tourism by ensuring the increased involvement of local communities, both at district and panchayat levels.

Towards creating a safe and secure environment for tourists, the departments of tourism of all states and UTs will take appropriate measures, including running mass awareness campaigns. They will also take steps on a priority basis to maintain cleanliness in and around various tourism destinations and cities.

Addressing the opening session of the conference, union minster for tourism Shripad Yesso Naik said, ''I want accomplish four issues namely reiterate that the safety and security of all tourists, domestic as well as international, but especially women, remains the top priority for all of us; talk about some of the opportunities before us; update you on the tourism strategy of the ministry of tourism; and conclude with how we can continue to work together''. 

The conference decided that state tourism departments would strive to develop and promote niche tourism products like medical and wellness, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), agro-based and plantation tourism, cruise tourism and adventure tourism, to overcome seasonality of the business.

States and UTs will develop tourism destinations keeping in view the principles of carrying capacity and sustainability for developing tourism in a responsible manner.

Also, all states and UTs will endeavour to ensure the increased involvement of local communities both at district and panchayat levels.

Departments of tourism of all states and UTs will improve the public service delivery system to minimise the delay in granting various licences/no-objection certificates for construction and operation of hotels and other tourism facilities.

Departments of tourism of all states and UTs in partnership with the Government of India will develop skill development programmes to meet the tourism industry's requirements, run short term courses under the broad framework of the programme 'Hunar Se RozgarTak' and proactively persuade the tourism industry stakeholders to nominate existing service providers for the skill testing and certification courses run by the ministry of tourism,

Besides, the department would identify new areas for skill development specific to monuments, historical places, archaeological sites, niche products, tourist destinations and circuits for enhancing employment opportunities in the tourism sector.

The last national conference of tourism ministers, held on 18 July 2013, had also resolved to ensure safety and security of tourists, especially women, run a mass awareness campaign called ''I respect women'', ensure cleanliness at various tourism destinations involving all stakeholders, impart working spoken knowledge of a foreign language to the officials dealing with tourists, rationalise the tax structure to make various tourism destinations competitive, promote seamless travel, grant necessary licences / no objection certificates for various tourism services in a time bound manner and assess the carrying capacity of various tourism destinations, especially religious places, on the basis of the principles of environmental sustainability.