New Delhi: Ministry of Tourism has set up a 24×7 multi-lingual tourist info-helpline in 12 languages including 10 international languages, Union Minister for Tourism, G. Kishan Reddy said.
“The Ministry of Tourism has set up a 24×7 multi-lingual tourist info-Helpline on the toll free number 1800111363 or on a short code 1363 in 12 Languages including 10 international languages (German, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Arabic), Hindi & English for domestic and foreign tourists to provide support service in term of information relating to Travel in India and to offer appropriate guidance to tourists in distress while travelling in India,” the minister said this in written reply in Lok Sabha on Monday.
The minister said that the Ministry of Tourism is well aware of the security concern of the tourists and has taken all possible measures to provide a safe and secure atmosphere for the tourists.
Ministry taken up matter with state govts/UTs
The ministry has taken up the matter with all the State Govts/Union Territory (UT) Admins. and has reiterated the aspect of providing a safe and secure environment to tourists, he said.
“In case any such untoward incident occurs against a tourist, there should be a robust system of law & order to handle the situation and provide a satisfactory solution to the affected tourists,” he added.
With the efforts of Ministry of Tourism, the State Governments/UT Administrations of Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh have deployed tourist police in one form or the other.
Conducted study to understand requirement of tourist police
The Ministry of Tourism got a study conducted by Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management (IITTM), an autonomous institute under its control, to understand the requirement of tourist police and sensitizing the tourist police so created towards the needs of the tourists.
The Ministry forwarded a copy of this Study report titled “Functioning of Tourist Police in States/UTs & Documentation of Best Practices” to all the State Govts/UT Admn. with the request to create a separate unit of police in the respective States/UTs and also to sensitize them about the needs of the tourists, the statement said.
The ministry has been seeking support of the Ministry of Home Affairs for taking up the matter with the state governments.
“The Ministry of Tourism along with all stakeholders, including the Tourism Departments of all States and UTs, have adopted the ‘Code of Conduct for Safe & Honourable Tourism’ which is a set of guidelines to encourage tourism activities to be undertaken with respect for basic right like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents in particular, women and children,” it added.
