Q.4 You have been recently appointed as the head of tourism department of a state in India that has many places of great historical importance. In the past few years, the state has witnessed a decrease in tourist inflow. Upon enquiry, you come to know that this decrease is largely attributed to the influence of touts and harassment of tourists, including unwanted advances and grossly overcharging them for various services. You also did a quick search about your state on leading travel advisory websites and found that it has earned a dubious reputation for being particularly unsafe for women tourists. Given the situation, answer the following: (a) Do you think that such a state of affairs can be attributed to insensitivity prevailing in the society? How can the community be made more sensitive towards tourists? (b) Suggest some measures to make a quick turnaround in terms of reputation, employment generation and rebuild the reputation of the state as a safe haven for tourists. (20 Marks)

Mentor’s Comments- Introduce with a brief note on problems facing tourists in India, especially foreign tourists. Identify the key stakeholders involved. Highlight the reasons behind insensitivity towards tourists and the harassment faced by them. Chalk out a roadmap to make sure that the state sees a turnaround in terms of its reputation w.r.t. tourists.