India to promote safety of women and child visitors

With an eye to the Commonwealth Games 2010, India will soon launch an initiative to create awareness about providing a safe and friendly environment to foreigners, especially women and children.

The initiative ‘Safe and Honourable Tourism’ will especially focus on creating awareness among various stakeholders, including taxi drivers, auto drivers and hotel staff.

The idea is to promote a safe environment for women and children, who will be coming to India during the Commonwealth Games next year, a tourism official told IANS.

The decision to launch the initiative was taken Monday at a meeting chaired by union Tourism Secretary Sujit Banerjee with the Indian chapter of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), a non-profit travel trade association, which has networks around the world.

“We will soon come out with an action plan for all service providers. This is one step through which we will be able to highlight that we believe in responsible and sustainable tourism,” the tourism official said.

“The code of conduct will be out in six months time,” he added.

“This kind of programme will also add more value to the Incredible India campaign,” the official added. The Incredible India campaign, which has earned accolades globally, showcases India’s beautiful holiday destinations.

The ministry will also rope in the National Commission for Women, the apex body that protects and promotes the interests of women in the country, on what kind of awareness and sensitisation programmes should be carried out.

“It was decided that sensitisation programmes and awareness campaigns should be immediately launched,” the official said.

Also, present at the meeting were representatives from the Save the Children, a leading child rights organisation and United Nations on Drugs and Crime, a UN body fighting against illegal drugs.