Continuing with series of initiatives to improve the environment for foreign tourists in India, the Indian Ministry of Tourism has stressed on increased and effective deployment of tourism police at all tourism spots.

Tourism Minister Renuka Chowdhury held a meeting with Police Commissioner of Delhi, Dr. K.K. Paul and suggested intensive training of selected police personnel for this purpose and creation of separate cadre on permanent basis of such personnel.

According to the minister, the safety and security of tourists, foreign and domestic both should be given very high priority as even a single incident of harassment damages prospects of tourism promotion.

The minister has also written to all the state governments to constitute tourism police force and its deployment at all the important tourism destinations. She has requested the States and tourism industry to run campaign to create awareness among the masses for providing tourism friendly environment as tourism provides not only direct job opportunities at local level but also better overall development of the region.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Tourism has already completed first round of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ campaign by providing training to more than 26,000 persons related to various sectors of hospitality industry in seven cities including taxi drivers, restaurant workers and guides, said Chowdhury.

The ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’ initiative, a nationwide campaign, aims at sensitizing key stakeholders towards tourists, through a process of training and orientation. The endeavor is to boost tourism in India, which in turn would act as a catalyst for India’s economic growth.

(Source: www.travelvideo.tv )