BENGALURU: Soon the government will crack the whip on registered and unregistered hotels, homestays and resorts. That is not all, tourists or even citizens can complain about the existing properties, following which they will be shut down.
At the closed-door meeting held by the state tourism department officials on Friday evening, it was decided to incorporate the factor in the policy that all hotels, home stays and resorts have to be registered with the department.
Furthermore, each one will be verified and could be closed down based on the reviews and complaints.
Rajendra KV, Tourism Director and Managing Director of Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation, told TNIE that the review of all the already registered guest houses, homestays, hotels and resorts will start soon.
The help of all the stakeholders is being taken for this, including Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Development Officers, police and officials from the police, Rural Development and Panchayat Raj and Forest Departments.
Explaining the status of the already registered properties with the tourism department and those uploaded on the website, he said, so far 3000 are registered with the department and 2000 are not in the ambit. All of them will be reviewed and verified.
“Operative guidelines will soon be issued. There are instances of complaints being filed. We have also received complaints of illegal activities or encroachments. All such will be closed down. All properties will be regulated. Those not registered will have to shut down,” said another official from the tourism department, who was present in the meeting.
The official added the mushrooming of homestays, resorts and guest houses is on the rise in all regions of the Western Ghats, including Chikkamagalur, Hassan, Coorg and even Dandeli. Apart from this, there is also a rise in the number of hotels and lodges in religious and cultural destinations.
There is a rush for small homestays and dormitories in places where adventure and aquatic sports are on the rise. Such things need to be regulated. “Before making bookings, tourists/ citizens should check the tourism department website to see if the property they are booking are registered with the department or not. Also if tourists find any flaws or irregularities in the properties, they should complain to the police and the department, and such properties will be shut down. This is also being made a part of the upcoming tourism policy,” the official added.