Lok Sabha Question No. 2610 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-03-09
Subject: Strengthening of Tourist Safety
Ministry: TOURISM
Asked by: Smt. Vijaylakshmi Devi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF TOURISM

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.

## †2610 ANSWERED ON 09.03.2026

## STRENGTHENING OF TOURIST SAFETY

## †2610. SMT. VIJAYLAKSHMI DEVI:

Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  key  initiatives  adopted  by  the  Government including coordination with State Governments and local authorities to strengthen tourist safety and confidence;
- (b) the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote digital  tourism  services,  integrated  platforms  and  technologyenabled visitor facilitation; and
- (c) the details of the reforms along with policy or regulatory interventions  implemented  by  the  Government  to  enhance  the convenience and affordability of travel for domestic and international tourists?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF TOURISM       (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) to (c): Safety and Security of tourists is essentially a State subject. However, the Ministry of Tourism has been continuously taking up the matter  with  all  the  State  Governments  and  Union  Territory  (UT) Administrations for setting up of dedicated Tourism Police to strengthen on-ground safety mechanism for tourists. With the efforts of Ministry of Tourism, the State Governments /UT's viz Telangana, 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.

Ministry  of  Tourism  has  been  periodically  requesting  all  State Governments  and  Union  Territory  Administrations  for  availing  the benefits  of  the  'Safe  Tourism  Destination  for  Women'  under  Nirbhaya fund which can be utilized for projects specifically designed to improve the safety and security of women tourists. 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  to  basic rights like dignity, safety and freedom from exploitation of both tourists and local residents, in particular, women and children. As a part of the Ministry's continuous endeavors to make travel for tourists safe and secure, the Ministry of Tourism has set up a 24x7 MultiLingual Tourist Helpline on the toll free number 1800111363 or on a short code  1363  in  12  languages  including  10  international  languages  for domestic  and  foreign  tourists  to  provide  support  service  in  terms  of information relating to travel in India and to offer appropriate guidance to tourists in distress, while travelling within India. With  a  view  to  bring  in  more  transparency,  accountability  and improved service delivery, the Ministry of Tourism introduced an online system of receiving, processing and conveying/ granting approvals for classification  of  Accommodation  Units  and  recognition  of  Tourism Service  Providers.  Applications  can  be  filed  at  the  portal  of  National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI+), i.e. nidhi.tourism.gov.in. This online process has also been integrated with a payment gateway. Effective and adequate connectivity is one of the important aspect for developing a tourist destination. Ministry of Tourism is working very closely with Ministry of Civil Aviation for improving the air connectivity to important tourist destinations and to lesser known/new destinations with  high  potential.  It  has  coordinated  with  Ministry  of  Civil  Aviation under their Regional Connectivity Scheme (RCS-Udan) and sharing the Viability Gap Funding (VGF) amount for the 53 tourism routes identified

for this purpose.

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