The government on Thursday issued revised safety and quality guidelines for ‘adventure tourism’ in India.
The guidelines, which have been formulated in consultation with the Adventure Tour Operators Association of India (ATOAI), list out the basic minimum standards required for activities across land, air and water, including mountaineering, trekking, bungee jumping, paragliding, kayaking, scuba diving, snorkelling and river rafting.
“In order to have a strong foothold in the field of adventure sports, better safety measures are mandatory. It is imperative that all adventure tourism stakeholders provide for better vigilance and strict adherence to these guidelines,” Tourism Minister K. J. Alphons said.
The guidelines call for mandatory insurance cover for adventure tour operators, adventure professionals, clients, as well as resorts and hotels: “In India …there is an urgent need for specific insurance products, to cover all parties in the adventure sports ecosystem. The policies promote safety as well as showcase an understanding of risks involved in adventure undertakings in the outdoors.”
Additionally, the guidelines stipulate that tour operators be recognised by local/ State authorities, have a registered office, be environmentally responsible, employ trained professionals. It covers issues such as the role of a guide, equipment required, inspections, maintenance processes, operating instructions, and risk mitigation and medical safety, among other aspects.
Tourism Secretary Rashmi Verma, said, “World over, people are looking for experiential tourism and are not satisfied with just looking at monuments.”
She added, “The first set of guidelines on the subject came out in 2012…These guidelines have been created after extensive discussion with stakeholders.”
Ms. Verma said that States needed to adopt the guidelines and create awareness among operators to do so, too.