The Kodagu district administration has directed owners of homestays in the district to mandatorily register themselves with the Tourism Department.
Deputy Commissioner of Kodagu Venkat Raja, who convened a meeting of representatives of hotels, resorts, homestays, and travel agencies in Madikeri on Wednesday to discuss the measures to ensure the safety of tourists, said the process of registering the homestays had been simplified.
Given the simplified process of registration, verification and certification is completed within a short period, he said.
Anita Bhaskar, Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism, Kodagu, said there were around 3,500 homestays in Kodagu district. Of them, 2,269 had been registered so far.
Meanwhile, Mr. Venkat Raja said the details of all the registered homestays should be made available online for easy access. The district administration aims to register all the homestays in the district and even facilitate online registration by paying a fee of ₹500, he said.
The Deputy Commissioner warned of strict legal action against unregistered homestays if any illegal activity or untoward incidents occur on their premises. He said the homestay owners in remote or forest areas would be held accountable for incidents involving their guests if they had not obtained prior approval from the police or forest departments.
Security
While issuing directions for the installation of CCTV cameras, posting of home guards or security personnel, and ensuring adequate lighting and illumination at night for the safety of the guests at all hotels, resorts, and homestays, Mr. Venkat Raja also directed the executive officers of taluk panchayats and tahsildars to hold regular meetings to ensure that these tourist facilities are complied with the government directives before issuing them trade licenses.
He also emphasised the need for heightening security measures in border areas of the district like Chelavara, Iruppu, and Dubare. The district administration has also emphasised the need to prioritise the safety of women and children at their facilities and tourist destinations.
The authorities said the tourists can contact the district police helpline at 94808-04900 or the District Disaster Management unit at 08272-221077 in case of emergencies.
The district administration has also shared the circular dated March 10, 2025, issued by the Additional Chief Secretary, on safety measures to be enforced for the safety of tourists.
Among other things, the circular pointed out that prior approval from the police must be obtained before taking tourists to remote or isolated areas, and tourists should be made aware of local culture, safety risks, and legal aspects. Only registered transport services for taxis and ride-share apps should be used.
The safety protocols for tourists include that they avoid displaying expensive jewellery or large amounts of cash, use digital payment methods (UPI, cards) instead of carrying large amounts of cash, avoid using public Wi-Fi for sensitive transaction, use a VPN for secure Internet access, and exercise caution in remote areas, forests, and near water bodies.
Published – March 14, 2025 06:44 pm IST
