In a bid to make the stay of foreign tourists safe and memorable in India, the Centre is contemplating the formulation of a new policy, Union Tourism minister K Chiranjeevi said. “We will convene a meeting of state Tourism ministers to chalk out a policy to ensure complete safety and security of foreign tourists,” Chiranjeevi told reporters after inaugurating the new campus of the Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM) here. Crimes like the gang-rape of a woman from Switzerland in Madhya Pradesh should not be repeated anywhere in the country, he said, adding that the Ministry of Tourism would also involve ministries of Home and External Affairs in the process of formulating the new policy. The policy would have provisions guiding foreign tourists. “They should contact the local police stations before entering into any rural or difficult areas,” the minister said. He also said people in every corner of the country should realise the importance of the concept of ‘Atithi Deva Bhavo’ (Guests are like God). Chiranjeevi said foreign tourists should be treated properly in the country as tourism provides employment and boosts the economy for the people in rural areas. The new policy on the safety of foreign tourists needs to be implemented by the state governments, he also said. PTI
