Authored By – Dev Gupta
Table of Contents
TOURISM RELATED LAWS IN INDIA
Since the advent of his time on Earth, man has ventured into different avenues to safeguard his happiness and recreation. Music, Drawing, Screenplay etc. are all the creation of a seed of thought that man once had in order to bring joy to himself and others around him. One such decision that was taken was to feed the need of adventure, where those interested would step into the unknown in order to make it a part of his known spectrum. Hence, Tourism was born. In order to undertake Tourism properly and legally, it is necessary to understand the various aspects of it.
MEANING :
The meaning of Tourism as described in the dictionary is “the commercial organization and operation of holidays and visits to places of interest.”Tourism means the act of visiting different places for various purposes of which some are medicinal, cultural, historical, heritage etc. A new aspect of tourism that is being pushed and is a growing field is that of Business Tourism. It means different people taking up tourism in order to Work at their respective jobs from a remote place. Since the advent of Work from Home, it has been growing exponentially.
LAWS IN PLACE FOR TOURISM IN INDIA:
As of date, there are no actual pieces of central legislation that have been enacted in India with regards to tourism. However, in 2002 the National Tourism Policy was formed in order to ensure growth and promote the aspect of tourism in India.
THE NATIONAL TOURISM POLICY:
The following is given on the official government site –
Ministry of Tourism drafted a National Tourism Policy based on various recent developments. The Policy aims at improving framework conditions for tourism development in the country, supporting tourism industries strengthening tourism support functions and developing tourism sub sectors. The Key Strategic Objectives are:
- To enhance the contribution of tourism in Indian economy by increasing the visitation, stay and spend making India a year-round tourist destination.
- To create jobs and entrepreneurial opportunities in tourism sector and ensure supply of skilled labour force.
- To enhance the competitiveness of tourism sector and attract private sector investment.
- To preserve and enhance the cultural and natural resources of the country.
- To ensure sustainable, responsible and inclusive development of tourism in the country.
The new policy was founded on the basis of the 7-S Mantra, i.e. Swaagat (welcome), Soochana (Information), Suvidha (facilitation), Surakshaa (Security), Sahyog (Cooperation), Sanrachnaa (infrastructure), Safaai (Cleanliness).
OTHER LAWS AFFECTING TOURSIM:
Although as above mentioned, there are no specific Central laws for Tourism, India has numerous other laws in place which indirectly provide for a smooth experience. Some Examples are:
- Consumer Protection Act which stringently safeguards the rights of any consumer against any malpractice.
- The Criminal Procedure Code grants the right to Court proceedings to any person against whom a crime has been committed in Indian Territory.
- The Indian Sarais Act which was made to regulate laws for the shelter and accommodation of travellers.
- A Tourism Act was enacted in Kerala to regulate, provide guidelines for carrying out the activity of Tourism and provide specific authorities to further evaluate the tourism in the State.
A foreigner visiting India should also, as a matter of difference in cultures and laws, be aware of the following:
i. Public Display of Affection is an ambiguous factor in India and can have varying effects in a rural area and a metropolitan city.
ii. Alcohol consumption age in India in most of the places is 21 so to check in with the laws of the place being visited is a must.
iii. Any foreign citizen who wishes to undertake driving in India should hold an International Driving License and a helmet is a must if the vehicle is a 2 wheeler.
iv. Drugs in India are unambiguously banned and will lead to punishment if held in possession of.
TOURISM IN INDIA:
India has been a hotspot of Tourism since a long time. Due to the diverse cultures, historical background and medicinal advancements, everyone who is aware of India’s historical importance has chosen to visit at least once. Many Westerners also visit India for the aspects of spirituality and meditation. Many renowned American Actors such as Will Smith, Julia Roberts have visited India multiple times on account of their spiritual journeys. During the 16th and 17th Century, India was a world famous destination for its monopoly on the spice trade. Even during the British Colonial Era, many heaven-on-Earthly places were discovered in India such as Kerala, Ooty, Darjeeling that further attracted a large number of foot-fall. The introduction of railways by the British only plunged this number to greater heights.
TOURISM AND ECONOMY:
Many countries in the world, specifically in the 21st Century, rely majorly on Tourism as their bread and butter for example- UAE, Maldives etc. On the other hand there are countries which do not necessarily rely on Tourism but it constitutes a big part of their economy for example – USA, Japan, Many of the European Countries etc.
CONCLUSION :
India is just getting started with ramping up its advertisements and pushing its boundaries in order to promote tourism. After the slashing of our economy by the British in the colonial era and the plunder, Tourism in India had died down critically and severely due to the poverty that ensued. It is now that it is being revived and fully realised again, the treasures that we have in our country and how they are worthy of being visited. The true extent of diversity in our country can be visualised by the noting the differences in the geography and demographics.
The north is covered by snow and witnesses a cooler temperature, while the south faces a tropical temperature and is surrounded by beaches and bodies of water. The cultures, traditions and rituals of people up in the north vary to almost a 360 degree spectrum from those observed in the south. The north- east has its own set of unique-appealing features such as the Himalayas, presence of spiritual personalities, beautiful rivers which promotes the idea of a laid – back vacation. By all of this, it is all the more obvious that in the coming age India is going to be a sought after place for tourists, much like it was in the 16th – 17th centuries. This further emphasizes the need of the central piece of legislation for tourism so that the laws and regulations practised across the country are uniform and centralised.
