Functioning of Ayurveda centres to be regulated

THIRUVANANATHAPURAM: The State Government will frame a policy and enact a piece of legislation to make licence mandatory for all ayurveda centres, house boats and home stays as part of taking Kerala tourism to international standards. The initiative is aimed at giving quality experience to visitors arriving in the state. Now there is no mechanism to regulate the functioning of these sectors and the plan is to connect them with the Tourism Department. Tourism director Rani George said that the government was planning a policy to make licence mandatory for all these tourism industries. The guidelines will be prepared and implemented by ayruveda centres, house boats and home stays to ensure that tourism is developed by maintaining all the mandatory standards.“The decision was taken following requests from those in the tourism industry at the discussions on Draft Tourism Policy 2011. As it is very difficult to include ayurveda in tourism because it is also part of medical profession, a minimum level of standard should be maintained at these centres,’’ she said. Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS) director V V Jose said that the demand for licensing by tour operators indicated that the industry had grown steeply. Now if the guidelines are made compulsory, the quality of tourism will improve and attract more tourists, he said. He said there are already some guidelines for the functioning of these industries which, however, are not made compulsory. The government will have to enact a piece of legislation in this regard to make it mandatory to provide quality service to the tourists. Rani George said that earlier, when the government decided to make regulate the functioning of these industries, there was a hue and cry from various quarters against the move. The request from the tour operators and others in the industry is likely to create a boom in this sector of tourism. Tourism Department was entrusted by Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar to prepare the policy. Discussions will be held with all those concerned to finalise the policy in these sectors, she added.