Staff Reporter
Guwahati: A new Tourism bill to accelerate development, facilitate tourism, and regulate the malpractices and conduct of persons associated with tourism activities and business was placed in the Assam Legislative Assembly today.
The Assam Tourism (Development and Registration) Bill, 2024, is proposed to provide a comprehensive legal framework for the tourism sector in Assam. The bill was introduced by Tourism minister Jayanta Mallabaruah on the first day of the budget session on Monday.
The bill is aimed at revitalizing and promoting the tourism industry within the state of Assam. The tourism sector holds significant economic potential for Assam, contributing to job creation, revenue generation, and the overall development of the state.
This bill seeks to address several critical aspects of tourist management, infrastructure development, and promotion.
The bill also covers the adventure sports sector, which is in a nascent stage in the state despite having tremendous potential. The bill describes adventure sports operators as a person or an organization or enterprises associated with or engaged in adventure sports such as aero-sports, paragliding, paramotoring, hot air ballooning, zip-lining, trekking, mountaineering, mountain biking, and all-terrain vehicles.
An Adventure Safety Audit Committee will have overall control over regulating the operations of adventure sports organizers and organizations. Such committees will be formed in each district with the District Commissioner or his or her representative of the district concerned as chairperson, besides a number of members.
The Adventure Safety Audit Committee shall be constituted for conducting risk assessments of the adventure sites and activities and for inspecting adventure-related service providers like campsite owners and adventure equipment dealers offering equipment for sale or on rent.
Adventure sports operators and adventure service providers shall get clearance from the Adventure Safety Audit Committee before getting a certificate of registration and the renewal of the certificate of registration.
All adventure activities shall be allowed in the areas that shall be identified by the competent authorities only.
Any adventure operations happening outside the designated area shall be considered illegal, it was stated.
The tourism bill will cover aspects of the tourism business like hotels, service apartments, heritage bungalows, homestays, tour operators, tourist transport operators, travel agents, restaurants and wayside amenities, water sports, golf tourism activity, river rafting, resorts, dhabas, guest houses, motels, tourist guides, health trade, tent suppliers, river cruises, houseboats, caravans, tea tourism, and other activities as may be notified by the state government from time to time.
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