Address safety gaps in tourism sector

Recent events in the landscapes of Kutta in Kodagu have sparked a critical debate on tourism safety. Following the assault of a foreign tourist at a local homestay, the issue has evolved beyond a simple criminal investigation to expose systemic vulnerabilities within the hospitality sector. 

Having been served a drink allegedly spiked with intoxicants, the survivor was unable to seek immediate help because the property’s Wi-Fi remained disconnected for three days.

While a cook at the homestay has been arrested, both his employer and the property owner are being held for allegedly attempting to suppress the crime. Such a compromise of guest security in an environment marketed as a “home-away-from-home” demands a rigorous re-evaluation of current administrative protocols.

This challenge reflects a disturbing pattern of security breaches across India’s tourist destinations, illustrating a chronic failure in guest protection. In 2022, a solo female traveller in Jaipur was sexually assaulted by the host of a private homestay after being offered a drink laced with intoxicants—a chilling precursor to the Kodagu case. 

Two further breaches occurred the following year; in Manali, tourists reported a male caretaker filming guests, while in Kerala, hidden cameras were discovered in a private room of a high-end beach resort. By 2024, the crisis shifted to Goa, where a hotel employee used a master key to enter a guest’s room at night, sparking national outrage over the lack of staff background checks.

A pattern of failure is particularly acute in regions like Kodagu, where tourism is the economic lifeblood, contributing 14.6% to the local GDP. However, a growth rate of nearly 200% in recent years has outpaced regulatory frameworks, leaving thousands of homestays operating within an “informal” economy. A non-functional digital registration portal has exacerbated this regulatory grey zone and hindered official oversight. 

Without a centralised database, there is often no record of employees, no verification of safety standards, and limited accountability for operators. While the recent revocation of licences provides immediate recourse, a sustainable solution requires a proactive shift towards comprehensive governance.

This transformation requires a fundamental change in how travellers’ experiences are defined. Just as the burgeoning discourse around the “right to disconnect” is beginning to reshape the boundaries of the modern workplace, a parallel “right to safety” must emerge to redefine the hospitality sector.

This framework moves security from an operational variable to a statutory requirement, guaranteed by a transparent and digitally enabled oversight system. Fixing the current regulatory inertia requires transitioning to a mandated tourism department portal that facilitates real-time monitoring and public verification. Standardised systems, involving QR codes at entrances, would allow travellers to verify licence status and fire safety compliance. Such transparency serves as the primary deterrent to administrative negligence.

While digital reforms address oversight, the physical infrastructure of safety remains the responsibility of the establishment itself. In the global hospitality landscape, safety is seldom left to chance; it is engineered into the guest experience. International and domestic hotel chains have demonstrated that security is a core component of brand equity.

They utilise a multi-layered architecture that integrates high-resolution surveillance with sophisticated access control. Guest and staff movements are managed through “floor-only” elevator access, while digital audit trails ensure that every entry is recorded for accountability. Protocols like these prevent unauthorised activities.

Small-scale operators may cite high expenditure as a barrier to implementing these global benchmarks. Yet, safety must be viewed as a capital investment rather than a recurring burden.

The financial fallout of a single security breach—legal liabilities, regulatory fines, and irreversible reputational damage—far outweighs the cost of infrastructure. For a homestay owner, safety is the ultimate form of insurance. Furthermore, as travellers increasingly prioritise verified security, owners can justify higher tariffs, amortising the cost of CCTV and emergency systems over time.

Beyond physical infrastructure, the human element of safety requires rigorous, uncompromising standards. Lack of standardised employee vetting remains a critical vulnerability. In an industry built on personal service, the absence of mandatory police verification is a significant oversight requiring urgent correction. Addressing this requires a multi-agency approach.

India’s reputation as a global destination is predicated on the reliability of its hospitality infrastructure.

The author is an independent writer.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed above are the author's own. They do not necessarily reflect the views of DH.)