New Delhi (Sputnik): In an attempt to break away from the image of an unsafe tourist destination, India has introduced a slew of measures to ensure the safety of foreign tourists, especially women.
"The Ministry of Tourism has launched 24/7 toll-free multi-lingual tourist info-helpline in 12 languages including 10 international languages as well as Hindi and English for the domestic and foreign tourists to provide support services in terms of information relating to travel in India and also offers appropriate guidance to tourists in distress while travelling in India," Minister of State for Home Affairs Hansraj Gangaram Ahir informed the nation's Parliament on Wednesday.
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Major tourist destinations like Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, have developed Tourist Police, in one form or the other, Ahir said.
READ MORE: India to Toughen Law to Safeguard Foreign Tourists
The Ministry of Tourism has directed various stakeholders to adopt a code of conduct for tourism, emphasizing dignity, safety, and freedom from exploitation, particularly with respect to women and children.
"The Ministry of Tourism has launched social awareness media campaigns with the objective of sensitizing stakeholders in the tourism industry as well as the masses and the general public about the importance of good conduct and behavior towards tourists and to reinforce the spirit of ‘Atithidevo Bhava'," Hansraj Ahir informed the Parliament.
