Rights’ body asks tourism players to ensure child safety

Times of India | 6 days ago | 05-08-2022 | 04:16 am

Rights’ body asks tourism players to ensure child safety

Panaji: Stating that child protection is part of responsible tourism, the Goa State Commission for Protection of Child Rights has asked the tourism department to ensure that guest houses and hotels don’t permit minors, who are unrelated to adults accompanying them, to stay with the adults as there have been several cases of children being exploited and trafficked.Chairperson of the commission Peter Borges said that during registration the department should obtain an undertaking from owners of hotels, homestays and guest houses that they will comply with Section 8 (10)(b) of the Goa Children’s Act 2003. The section states that no child shall be allowed to enter any room of any hotel or establishment which provides boarding or lodging or any similar facility unless the child is registered as staying in that room with family, relatives or person related by blood.“Once the homestay, guest house and hotel owners sign this declaration, they will be aware of the section and be more cautious when accepting guests,” Borges added. He suggested that the persons manning reception desks should be alert and check identification for relation between children and adults.The commission’s letter to the department stated that most travellers and tourists in Goa prefer to stay in rented premises where owners sometimes are found to be “indifferent about tourists travelling with children” but should be alert to any sexual exploitation of children and minors and report to child protection system.

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Times of India | 3 days ago | 07-08-2022 | 04:28 am
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