From our Correspondent
ITANAGAR, June 19: Various stakeholders in the Tourism industry of Arunachal Pradesh today pledged not to encourage sex-tourism inorder to protect the children and women of the State from exploitation. More than 40 hoteliers, tour operators and taxi operators during the day-long consultation on encouraging responsible tourism by engaging stakeholders pledged to implement the Code of Conduct (CoC) for safe and honourable tourism in the State. The Code of Conduct for safe and honourable tourism was adopted by the Centre on July 2010.   “We will take the necessary actions towards incorporating into our operations the criteria like informing and training of all personnel on the Code of Conduct, creating public and industry awareness of the CoC and enact ethical business practices and marketing,” the stakeholders vowed. They also promised to regulate the use of premises and official equipments to prohibit sex tourism and the exploitation of women and children besides implementing and monitoring of the practices outlined in the CoC. Most of the participants in the consultation advocated for strict implementation of the Code of Conduct in the state in order to protect the socio-cultural fabric of the indigenous tribal population. “When we lost our dignity no amount of money can buy it back,” commented Parliamentary secretary for Tourism Passang Dorjee Sona. He urged all and sundry to put concerted efforts in checking human trafficking in the tourism industry and to sensitize all stakeholders on safe and honourable tourism. Stating that North East region was fast changing into a favourite torurist destination of the country, team member of Impulse NGO Network, Shillong Elissa Makkinen informed that half of the children population in India was sexually abused every year. The consultation was organized by Impulse NGO Network in association with Abo Chegum Multipurpose Welfare Society and A THU as state partners with state tourism department as the collaborative partner and supported by UNGIFT.