IATO Suggestions for facilitating tourists visiting ASI Monuments
11th June 2020
Mr. Anand Kumar
Secretary (Culture)
Ministry of Culture
Government of India
Shastri Bhavan
New Delhi
Dear Sir,
Sub: IATO Suggestions for facilitating tourists visiting ASI Monuments
Greetings from IATO !
This is with reference to the discussions held during our Video Conference Meeting held on 13th May 2020. As discussed, below our inputs/suggestions for the facilitating tourists while ASI Monuments keeping in mind social distancing due to Covid -19:-
1. All the ASI monuments should have facilities and upkeep of international standard. Hygienic condition is the main concern especially for the foreign tourists as they, if not satisfied, create negative publicity and hence this should be given top priority.
2. Approach roads to the monuments should be well maintained and clean with proper signages. No encroachment and un-authorized parking of large or small vehicles should be allowed on the approach road, which create very negative image amongst the foreign tourists. Also approach roads should be No Honking Zone.
3. There should be proper designated parking areas earmarked for the tourist coaches and cars at each monument.
4. Pick up and drop points with proper signages should be there at all monuments. This is very important because foreign tourists come to our country on short visits with fixed travel itinerary visiting multiple sites of sightseeing in one day. Time is wasted by walking to and from parking place and locating the vehicles. Also for the elderly foreign/domestic tourists and senior citizens, it becomes very difficult to walk long distance.
5. All the monuments should be free from un-authorized shops, hawkers etc. This will not only help in creating a positive image of our country but also would help to keep surrounding of the monuments clean and free from polybags and other garbage, normally used by hawkers. We need to showcase clean and encroachment free environment surroundings the monuments.
6. Un-authorized guides and touts should not be allowed to move around the monuments. Proper monitoring should be there to keep watch on such activities to ensure that foreign/domestic tourists are not harassed or cheated at the monuments.
7. Due to Covid-19 Social distancing is very important at all the monuments with proper guidelines and signages to observe same.
8. Entrance tickets with bar coding should be available at Ticket kiosks or vending machines placed at Parking area and at the entrance gate. Adequate Ticket kiosks/ vending machines should be placed at monuments with high footfall without any human contact.
9. All tickets should be printed with bar coding and should have facility of recording entry timings and duration of visit through digital entry/exit gates, if needed especially for the monuments which has higher footfall.
10. There are often long queues at the monuments for purchase of tickets. Number of entry ticket vending machines to be increased at each monument depending upon average tourists footfall. Also there should be separate vending machine for foreign tourists to save their time by standing in queues.
11. Purchase of monuments entry tickets also should be available online not only through ASI website but also through “Book My Show”, which is a good App and being used by most of the people for purchasing tickets online for any event all over India.
12. For online purchase of tickets, procedure should be simplified. No unnecessary information like passport details etc. should be asked, as entry tickets can be purchased at the counter without any details. Only name of the visitors should be enough, if it is so essential and any photo identification document should be acceptable. Group ticket facility should be available without any hassle.
13. There should be adequate number of digital entry gates for scanning digital tickets with separate entry for foreign tourists. There should be enough space between each entrance gate to maintain social distance.
14. Meeting/pick up point for guides to be made near the entrance gate with proper signages.
15. Security checks should be done without any human touch and there should be Auto security scan by auto security gates monitored by security personal with CCTV camera recording.
16. There should be proper pathways staring from entrance of the monument for moving inside and separate pathways for exit and should have proper signages, creating a circular passage for movement of tourists covering all important point of visits.
17. Monument Superintendent to ensure crowd control with support of adequate number of marshals (Tourist Mitra) at entrance gate and inside. They should also be responsible for the protection of monuments from defacing the monuments by the domestic tourists visiting the monuments. Tourists Mitra should be volunteers who shall guide tourists to keep moving and do not stand in the passage to keep the tourist flow inside the monuments in proper direction. There should not be any gathering in one place unless it is designated location.
18. There should be proper group briefing and debriefing area clearly marked with signages to facilitate group movements.
19. For the differently abled people, facilities of pathways for the wheel chair with proper signages to be made at all the monuments.
20. Audio Guide, Apps based guides at the Kiosks in different foreign and Indian languages should be installed at various points on payment basis. This information should be properly displayed at the entrance and at the ticketing counters.
21. High speed free Wi-Fi at all the monuments should be available.
22. Seating arrangements at various points near the pathways for elderly people/senior citizen while moving inside the monuments is required to take some rest.
23. Provision for designated area/place for holding MICE and other social events with lunch/dinner facilities preferably at the backdrop of the monument would be a good idea. This will not only generate additional revenue for the government, but also additional publicity of monuments.
24. Points for photography/selfie to be made with proper signages at convenient locations.
25. Signages displaying do’s and don’ts at the monument should be placed at various prominent locations.
26. Assembly points for groups/school children to be made available for briefing and introducing the monument etc.
27. Inside the monuments there should be kiosks with vending machines for water/cold drinks, small bites etc.
28. Safety and security of the tourists at the monuments is very essential which is a major concern. Tourist Police at the monuments should be visible. There should be Police Assistance Booths and should be properly manned. Tourist Police personnel should be able to speak English fluently and should be able to communicate with the foreign tourists.
29. Clean Toilet facilities inside the monument area is required.
30. Free Drinking Water kiosks are to be made available at all monuments.
31. There should be souvenir/books shops near exit gates to purchase maps/books/picture postcards/local handicrafts and replica of the monument etc. for the tourists who are interested to carry back souvenirs and memory of their sojourn visit to the Monument.
32. ATM booths should be installed at a prominent location at all the monuments.
33. First Aid facilities to be made available at all Iconic Monuments site.
Above are the suggestions based on our practical experience and inputs from the members/tourists. If you need any clarification or further information, I am available to give my inputs.
Thanking you and with best regards,
Sincerely,
Pronab Sarkar
President
(M) 9811102111