Code of Conduct for "Safe and Honourable Tourism" launched in India
On 1 July 2010, the Hon'ble Minister for Tourism and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, Government of India, has launched the 'Code of Conduct for Safe and Honorable Tourism'.
The "Code of Conduct for Safe and Honorable Tourism" is a concrete outcome of the support provided through UNGIFT. The code itself has been drafted by UNODC together with the Ministry in collaboration with Save the Children India and the Pacific Asia Tourism Association (PATA).
The Code of Conduct aims to strengthen safe tourism in India both for tourists and the local population. It is a guideline to be adopted voluntarily by the tourism industry and its operators to:
(i) encourage tourism activities to be undertaken with respect for basic rights like dignity, safety and freedom of exploitation of both tourists and residents
(ii) prevent commercial sexual exploitation, sex tourism and forms of sexual exploitation like assaults and molestations with a view to safeguard the safety of persons, especially women and children and
(iii) prevent forced or involuntary drug use, manipulated information, social and culteral intolerance which could increase the vulnerability to crime.
The code is meant not just for large companies, but also smaller hotels, guest houses and for service providers like taxi providers and tour guides.
After the launch, the Ministry of Tourism plans now to engage with the partners, who helped to design the code, to design respective training material and train and guide tour operators and tourism employees in "Safe and Honorable Tourism" , especially in view of the upcoming Commonwealth Games, which will be held in New Delhi in October 2010.
Further infomation in the news:
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