Key features of the draft Bill include: Tourism Safety Unit: To ensure tourist safety, a dedicated security unit consisting of police officers and “tourist guards” will be established. The unit will be empowered to make arrests, search, seize items, collect evidence for non-bailable and criminally indictable offences, and impose fines on nuisance and touts. Tourism Guards: These guards will prevent crimes against tourists, assist local authorities in preventing drug trafficking and sale of illicit liquor, detain offenders, and warn tourists of potential threats. Repeal of old laws: The new Bill will replace the existing Goa, Daman and Diu Tourism Trade Registration Act, 1982 and the Goa Tourist Places (Protection and Maintenance) Act, 2001. Sustainability Fee and Incentives: The Bill will introduce a sustainability fee for tourism businesses and provide incentives for adopting sustainable practices, such as exemption from registration fees and grants for sustainable technologies. Tourism Board: The Tourism Board will conduct periodic assessments of the carrying capacity of tourism clusters. If an area exceeds its carrying capacity, new registrations and renewals of tourism businesses in that area will be stopped.
Tourism Minister Rohan Kante stressed the need for a legal framework to tackle touting and illegal activities as current laws are inadequate. The draft bill has been put out for feedback from stakeholders, including industry associations, policy groups and the public.
The Tourism Security Force will have the power to arrest individuals for non-bailable and indictable offences, conduct searches, seize offending goods, secure evidence, and levy and collect fines for nuisance and solicitation. The draft law states that the force will work in coordination with all state departments and agencies to ensure the safety and security of tourists in designated tourist areas.
The new law aims to modernize Goa’s tourism industry and promote structured growth, sustainable practices, and improved safety and security for all tourists.
