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| Tourist duping cases increase in Kashmir | | | Early Times Report
SRINAGAR, Jan 15: Even as Kashmir has been declared as the country's safest tourist spot for domestic travelers, duping of tourists has registered an increase over the years.
Some tourists have also questioned Kashmir's `most hospitable place' tag.
Tourist police received 56 complaints of tourist being duped in 2016. The number has increased to 103 cases in 2018 under violation of J&K Tourist Trade Act, 1978 which includes overpricing; offering poor service. Cheating visitors has almost doubled since 2016.
Among 103 complaints in the previous year, 13 were from foreign tourists while 89 complaints were lodged by domestic tourists visiting the Valley.
In 2018, 11 FIRs were registered for tourist duping cases. The number of FIRs registered in 2017 was 10 while as only 3 FIRs were registered in 2016.
In 2017, 100 complaints were received by the tourist police from visitors in both written and online mode, mostly against travel agencies, and tour operators.
"In 2018, stake-holders of tourism business, which even include sledge-owners, drivers were fined Rs 10.11 lakhs for violating the Tourist Trade Act for duping the tourists," a tourist police official said. "This is a sharp increase compared to Rs 6.17 lakh penalty recovered by tourist police in 2017," he said.
Cheated tourists were refunded Rs 32 lakhs during last 3 years. "The highest refund of Rs 14.91 lakhs was done in 2017. During that year several tours were cancelled due to fragile conditions resulting in disputes between tourism players and tourists," the official added.
"Last year also we refunded cheated tourists with Rs 7.57 lakhs. Based on a complaint received on June 2, 2018 from a Korean tourist who fraudulently cheated by a local tour operator was refunded Rs 1.75 lakhs by tourist police," the official added.
The cheating complaints have been received against pony walllas and All Terrain Vehicle owners, snow bikes operators and sledge owners. There have been few instances when a driver was also challaned for overcharging the tourists most at Sonamarg for taking the tourists to Zero Point. |
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