(a) whether the Government is taking any initiative to enhance the scope of tourism management education in the country;
(b) if so, the details thereof; and
(c) the steps being taken or proposed to be taken by the Government to make tourist places/centres disabled friendly?
MINISTER OF STATE FOR TOURISM (INDEPENDENT CHARGE) (SHRI SHRIPAD NAIK)
(a) & (b): The Ministry of Tourism has established an autonomous body i.e. Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management at Gwalior with four regional centres at Bhubaneswar, Goa, Nellore and Noida. These Institutes offer education, training, research and consultancy in the sustainable management of tourism, travel and allied sectors.
They also impart post graduate studies in Tourism Management and offer various programmes in tourism and tourism related fields/services alongwith other extension programmes of capacity building.
(c): The Ministry of Tourism requested, on July 14th 2008, all the State Govts./UTs to ensure that the facilities created by them ensure access for disabled tourists and make this mandatory during the implementation of these projects. The implementation of this decision is monitored in the following manner:
# A certificate should be sent by the State Governments/UT Administrations along with project proposals stating that disabled friendly public facilities have been incorporated in the design of the built up area.
# The State Governments/UT Administrations shall ensure that creation of disabled friendly public facilities have been incorporated in the detailed cost estimates.
# A certificate should be sent at the time of release of final instalment stating that the buildings/ public facilities have been constructed providing barrier free access to differently able persons.