Assam tourism leap forward with a historic bill for tourism regulation

Tuesday, February 6, 2024

Assam introduces a bill to regulate tourism for the first time, aiming to enhance tourism industry management, infrastructure, and penalize violations.

On Monday, the Assam government presented a new bill in the assembly aimed at officially regulating the state’s tourism industry for the first time since India gained independence. The “Assam Tourism (Development and Registration) Bill, 2024” was introduced by Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah. He explained that this bill is designed to create a detailed legal framework for managing the tourism sector. With the bill’s approval, there will be a regulatory authority established to oversee tourism, which until now has been regulated by the outdated Sarais Act of 1867. Although tourism policies existed, a specific law was lacking.

The purpose of the bill is to rejuvenate and boost Assam’s tourism sector, focusing on improving tourist management, infrastructure, and promotional efforts. It outlines regulations for tourism-related businesses and establishes fines for various violations. For instance, operating a tourism, travel agency, or adventure sports business without the required registration could result in a fine of up to Rs 10,000. Additionally, anyone found guilty of malpractice or breaking any other rule in the bill without a predefined fine will also face a penalty of up to Rs 10,000.

Furthermore, the bill aims to eliminate begging and hawking at tourist locations. Violators will be fined up to Rs 3,000, with a steeper fine of Rs 30,000 for those who habitually break this rule.

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