In what could help protect the interest of tourists and the tourism industry itself, the Tourism Department on Thursday circulated the draft of the Karnataka Travel Trade Facilitation Bill, which is likely to be tabled in the legislature in the winter session.
The Bill, which is likely to undergo further modifications after feedback from the stakeholders, proposes registration of homestays, travel agents, tour operators, those offering adventure activities and licensing of guides, among other things. If passed by the legislature, Karnataka will be third State after Goa and Rajasthan to have a comprehensive law for tourism industry.
“This Bill is not regulatory in nature, but will be a facilitator to the industry,” Tourism Department Director G. Sathyavathi said while discussing the proposed Bill at the World Tourism Day celebrations here. This Bill is proposed to accelerate the growth of tourism and encourage right practises in the sector and orderly conduct of tourism activities. The proposed Bill assumes importance in the light of several fatal accidents, especially in the adventure tourism sector, that have been reported in the recent years as well as the attack on people at a homestay in Mangalore recently.
Compulsory
“We have envisaged compulsory registrations. Though a large number of homestays operate in Karnataka, only 400 homestays are registered with the department,” she said.
The other provisions of the Bill, which has 15 chapters, give details about the duties and responsibilities of tourists, responsibilities of local bodies under whose jurisdiction tourist destinations fall, collection of statistical information on tourist arrivals and extension of tourist assistance force.
List
Principal Secretary Tourism Department Latha Krishna Rao said that the government will publish the list of those who are registered with the government. “A list will be made available to tourists at destinations. They can choose to undertake activities with those to whom licence will be issued by the department,” she added.
New logo
Tourism Minister B.S. Anand Singh unveiled the new logo of Jungle Lodges and Resorts. Later, the Minister inaugurated an exclusive four-day handlooms and handicrafts mela at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath. MLC Tara was present.
