KOCHI: At a time when tourist footfall is rising across the state, officials have alleged that training programmes for the tourism police personnel at the Kerala Institute of Tourism and Travel Studies (KITTS) have not been conducted for the past many years.
KITTS principal Dr B Rajendran told TNIE, “The last class at KITTS was held in the 2022-2023 period. Back then, we had trained 40 to 50 police in two batches. This short-term course focuses on behavioural skills, basic foreign language training and destination management and is jointly undertaken by the tourism and police departments, with KITTS being the facilitator.”
The training is typically conducted over a week, with modules designed to equip personnel to handle tourists, manage crowds, and respond to issues in key destinations. “Tourism police is a necessity, but training has not been happening in recent years,” Rajendran said.
According to him, for the programme to resume, the proposal must come from the tourism department, following which the police department will depute the personnel.
Sources told TNIE that it was a lack of coordination between the two agencies and a shortage of funds that led to the training being discontinued.
The absence of regular training and deployment is being reflected on the ground in destinations such as Fort Kochi, where stakeholders have raised concerns over inadequate monitoring of tourist activity.
As TNIE had reported on numerous occasions before, there were several instances of littering, cooking in public spaces, and defacement of structures in heritage zones amid a surge in domestic visitors.
Stakeholders have been flagging the issue of weak regulation in Fort Kochi, among other locations, for months, calling for stricter monitoring as tourist inflow increases. Concerns have also been raised over unregulated guiding and harassment of visitors at busy entry points.
In a letter to Ernakulam District Collector Priyanka G in early February, the All Kerala Tour Guides Association had urged administrators to reinstate regular patrolling of tourism police officers to safeguard visitors and heritage zones. “But no considerable steps have been taken,” said the association’s secretary Rajesh K S.
Tourism police personnel, when deployed, remain limited in number and are often burdened with regular station work. In addition, officers who underwent earlier training have been shifted to other units over time, affecting continuity in tourism-related duties. Strengthening tourism policing through regular training and dedicated deployment is essential, said P Sachin, a KITTS alumnus and a tourism stakeholder.
“A well-trained tourism police deployed at key destinations can ensure safety, maintain discipline, manage crowds, and address social and environmental concerns in a timely manner. Their presence not only helps in controlling potential issues, but also creates a safe and welcoming environment for tourists, thereby enhancing the overall tourism experience in Kerala,” he added.
Lack of coordination
A lack of coordination between tourism & police depts, and a shortage of funds cited as reason for training being discontinued
The absence of regular training and deployment is being reflected on the ground in destinations such as Fort Kochi, where stakeholders have raised concerns over inadequate monitoring of tourist activity