The department of women and child development, in collaboration with thetourism department, should develop a “state plan of action to counter child abuse in tourism”, a research study has pointed out.
Tour operators, travel agents, hotels, elected representatives, local authorities, the judiciary, the police, child rights organizations and other civil society groups and communities must come together to protect children and combat child abuse.
“Tourism policies and plans must be re-envisioned with the participation of children. They should be taken into consideration and a commitment must be made to ensure that tourism is promoted in a non-exploitative manner by taking pro-active steps to respect and promote the development and dignity of the child,” the study has recommended.
“The state tourism department does not perceive the issue of child protection as its mandate. The tourism industry, both organized and unorganized, should be held accountable for practices that exploit children,” the study titled, ‘Walking the tightrope-Exploitation of migrant children in tourism in Goa’, has stated.
Child protection committees, under the integrated child protection scheme, set up in every village in the state will push for children’s issues to be addressed, the report pointed out.