**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer given on 09.02.2026 to an unstarred question in Lok Sabha, concerning measures to curb fraudulent practices in the tourism sector. The response outlines actions taken by the Ministry of Tourism regarding complaints, standardization of services, safety of tourists, and the digital verification of tourism stakeholders. No specific deadlines or action items are assigned in the document.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Complaint Handling:**
* Complaints of deficiency in service or exploitation are received through the Ministry or the CPGRAMS portal.
* Complaints are taken up with service providers for clarification and resolution.
* If exploitation is evident, the issue is brought to the attention of the relevant State/UT administration.
* Complainants are advised to approach consumer courts for redressal.
* **Standardization of Services:**
* The Ministry of Tourism approves various categories of service providers in the travel and hospitality industry.
* Approval is voluntary and not mandatory.
* The Ministry may take action, including withdrawal of approval, against approved service providers for serious complaints.
* **Tourist Safety and Security:**
* Tourist safety is primarily a State subject.
* The Ministry of Tourism encourages States/UTs to establish dedicated Tourism Police.
* Several states and UTs have already deployed tourism police.
* **NIDHI+ Verification Process:**
* Tourism stakeholders are registered through the National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI+) framework with a multi-layered verification process.
* Mandatory PAN submission and verification.
* Mandatory OTP-based verification of registered mobile number and email ID.
* Optional Aadhaar-based verification.
* Digital verification of FSSAI licenses for applicable food service establishments.
**Impact Analysis**
**Stakeholder: Tourists (Domestic and Foreign)**
* **Impact:** Enhanced safety and security, standardized services, and grievance redressal mechanisms for issues like overcharging and misleading packages.
* **Action Required:** Utilize available complaint mechanisms and consumer courts for redressal of grievances.
**Stakeholder: Travel and Hospitality Service Providers**
* **Impact:** Potential need to become registered/licensed under State/UT laws. Opportunity to gain approval from the Ministry of Tourism for increased credibility. Subject to Ministry action if found in breach.
* **Action Required:** Consider Ministry approval for benefits. Ensure adherence to regulations and grievance resolution.
**Stakeholder: State Governments/UT Administrations**
* **Impact:** Encouraged to prioritize tourist safety and establish dedicated Tourism Police.
* **Action Required:** Consider establishing/strengthening Tourism Police.
**Stakeholder: Ministry of Tourism**
* **Impact:** Centralized system to receive and resolve tourist complaints.
* **Action Required:** Maintain oversight of the NIDHI+ program. Take appropriate action on complaint resolution.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Tourism: The central government ministry responsible for addressing issues related to fraudulent practices in the tourism sector.
CPGRAMS: The Centralized Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System, a portal through which complaints are received by the Ministry of Tourism.
State Government/Union Territory (UT) Administration: Local governments that are responsible for licensing and regulating service providers in their respective regions.
NIDHI+: National Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry. A framework under the Ministry of Tourism to register tourism stakeholders through a multi-layered digital verification process
FSSAI: Food Safety and Standards Authority of India. The regulatory body which the Ministry of Tourism checks for compliance of tourism related food service establishments.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF TOURISM
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1500
ANSWERED ON 09.02.2026
MEASURES TO CURB THE FRAUDULENT PRACTICES IN
TOURISM SECTOR
1500. THIRU S JAGATHRATCHAKAN:
Will the Minister of TOURISM be pleased to state:
(a) the details of the assessment made by the Government for the
increasing number of unlicensed or fraudulent travel agencies
operating in major tourist destinations across the country and the
extent to which such agencies are involved in overcharging,
misleading packages or exploiting tourists;
(b) the details of the number of complaints received regarding illegal
travel operators during the last five years, State/UT and year-wise,
along with the action taken by the authorities;
(c) whether the Government has issued any guidelines or directives to
States/UTs;
(d) whether coordination mechanisms have been established between
tourism departments, police authorities and consumer commissions
to crack down on illegal operators and safeguard domestic and foreign
tourists, and if so, the outcomes of such coordination; and
(e) the details of the steps proposed by the Government to promote
verified, registered and digital-KYC-based travel service providers to
curb fraudulent practices in the tourism sector?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF TOURISM (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)
(a) to (e): Complaints regarding deficiency in services or other issues like
overcharging, misleading packages or exploiting tourists relating to
service providers are received in the Ministry either from the complainants
or through the Centralised Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring
System (CPGRAMS) portal. On receipt of such complaints, the matter is
taken up with the concerned service providers seeking clarification to
facilitate resolution of the issues. In case instances of exploitation oftourists are brought to the notice of the Ministry of Tourism, the grievance
is taken up with the concerned State Government/Union Territory (UT)
Administration since service providers are required to be
registered/licensed under local rules/acts of the concerned State/UT. The
complainant is also advised to approach the appropriate forum, such as
consumer court, for redressal on case-to-case basis.
To ensure standardized services for tourists, the Ministry of Tourism
Government of India gives approval to different categories of service
providers in the Travel and Hospitality industry including Online Travel
Aggregators/Tour Operators/Travel Agents/Tourist Transport Operators
/different categories of Hotels/Motels/Convention Centres, etc. in
accordance with the guidelines issued by the Ministry for each category.
This is purely a voluntary scheme and it is not mandatory for the service
providers to seek approval of the Ministry for conducting business. In case
of complaints of serious nature against the approved service providers, the
Ministry of Tourism may take action against them, which may include
withdrawal of the approval/re-approval granted.
Safety and Security of tourists is essentially a State subject. However,
the Ministry of Tourism has been continuously taking up the matter with all
the State Governments and Union Territory (UT) Administrations for setting
up of dedicated Tourism Police to strengthen on-ground safety mechanism
for tourists. With the efforts of Ministry of Tourism, the State Governments
/UT’s viz Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala,
Maharashtra, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh,
Odisha, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim and Uttar Pradesh have deployed tourist
police.
Under the recognition under Ministry of Tourism through National
Integrated Database of Hospitality Industry (NIDHI+) framework, tourism
stakeholders are registered through a multi-layered digital verification
process, which includes the following steps:
1. Mandatory submission and digital verification of Permanent Account
Number (PAN) details to establish the legal identity of the service
provider.
2. Mandatory verification of registered mobile number and email ID
through OTP-based authentication to ensure authenticity and secure
communication.
3. Aadhaar-based verification facility (optional).
4. Digital verification of valid Food Safety and Standards Authority
of India (FSSAI) licence details for applicable food service-related
tourism establishments to ensure regulatory compliance.
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