Tourism Deptt advises service providers to desist from cheating, overcharging

Srinagar, April 14 : The Department of Tourism has advised all tourism service providers to desist from any sort of cheating or overcharging from the tourists. The Department has made it amply clear that relevant provisions of J&K Registration of Tourist Trade Act-1978/2012 and other penal laws would be invoked in case of deviant stakeholders.

A spokesman of the Department said though it was good that we are witnessing a bumper season of tourist arrivals, it was incumbent upon the stakeholders and the Department to ensure that tourists are attended decently, properly and charged fairly for the services they utilize so that they return back with memories as beautiful as Kashmir is known for.

In a specific complaint received from a tourist group, the Department has blacklisted the service provider from undertaking any commercial activity besides initiating other criminal proceedings against the concerned unit holders. The accused unit holders have also been detained for questioning by Tourist Police.

Reminding the stakeholders of an old tagline of the Department-Sayaah aap kay husne sulook ka talib hai, uss ko khush karkay aap Kashmir ki khubsoorti aur mehman nawazi mein char chand laga saktay hain-the spokesman impressed upon all the segments of tourism fraternity and their representatives to play their role in checking any incident of cheating or overcharging of tourists and live upto the expectations of highest levels of hospitality Kashmir has been known for centuries. The Department has issued an advisory to all the stakeholders at all the destinations in this regard.

Meanwhile, the Department has constituted a Central Monitoring team comprising Deputy Director, Kashmir, Registration and Enforcement to randomly check the destinations to cross check strict following of prescribed rate lists and other SoPs notified.

Separate monitoring teams have also been set up at all destinations comprising respective Resort Officers, representatives from Development Authorities and Tourist Police with a similar mandate.

The teams shall provide their feedback and suggest measures for further streamlining the tourist related services, an order issued by the Director Tourism, Kashmir, Dr G N Itoo said.(GNS)