Identity proof of guests in hotels a must, says govt order

Odisha Sun Times Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Apr 23:

The Odisha government’s Tourism department Tuesday issued directives to director Tourism to ask tourist officers to strictly check whether hotels and guest houses in the state are adhering to the mandatory requirement of maintaining recordsof all guests and verifying their identity proof when they check in.

Commissioner-cum-secretary Tourism, Arabinda Kumar Padhee today directed the director Tourism to issue notices, suspend and cancel approval to hotels, guest houses and tourism related projects if they are found to be violating the mandatory norm of keeping the identity proof of its visitors, said an official release issued Tuesday.

“The hotel owners/staff/personnel should be sensitized on such security related matters as well as on safe and honourable tourism. Experts from the local India Tourism Office, IITTM, IHM etc may be involved in the process”, said the release.

The directive is not only applicable to Puri but also to other places in the state as well, the release said.

Concerned officials and stake holders have been informed accordingly, the release added.

The directive was issued in view of recent reports of terrorist threats to Sri Jagannath temple and Car Festival.