'Atithi Devo Bhava' has been India's stand... However, only tourism promotional drives do not suffice. It is important to sensitize those in the tourism industry to conduct themselves with propriety as hosts... Write a letter to the Tourism Department expressing your concerns.
'Atithi Devo Bhava' has been India's stand... However, only tourism promotional drives do not suffice. It is important to sensitize those in the tourism industry to conduct themselves with propriety as hosts... Write a letter to the Tourism Department expressing your concerns.
To,
The Secretary,
Tourism Department.
Subject: Concerns Regarding Tourism Stakeholder Sensitivity
Sir/Madam,
I am writing to highlight that while 'Atithi Devo Bhava' remains our national motto, promotional advertisements alone cannot attract tourists if the ground reality stays poor. It is essential to sensitise stakeholders — guides, drivers, and hotel staff — to conduct themselves with propriety as true hosts.
Tourists often face harassment or unprofessional behaviour, which tarnishes the country's image abroad. Ensuring their safety and respectful treatment is vital to sustaining tourism growth. I request the department to organise regular ethics and behavioural training for all frontline hosts, so that our actions genuinely live up to our motto. Only when visitors feel safe and respected will India become a truly premier destination. Active sensitisation measures are the need of the hour.
Sincerely,
[Your Name]
Marking Scheme
- 11 mark for correct Format (addressee as Tourism Department Secretary, subject line, salutation, complimentary close).
- 23 marks for Content (identifying the gap between promotional campaigns and ground reality, mentioning safety/ethics concerns, proposing solutions like training programs).
- 33 marks for Expression (formal and constructive tone, persuasive language, grammatical accuracy, logical flow).
Hint
Focus on the gap between the 'Atithi Devo Bhava' ideal and ground reality, then suggest specific training measures for tourism stakeholders.
Quick Oral Answer
I would write to the Tourism Department highlighting that while 'Atithi Devo Bhava' is our motto, promotional ads are not enough. Tourism workers like guides, drivers, and hotel staff need ethics training to treat visitors with respect and ensure their safety.
Analysis & Explanation
This 7-mark formal letter tests writing a solution-oriented concern to a government department, not a newspaper editor.
Concept and marking split
- 1 mark format, 3 marks content (safety, ethics, specific suggestions), 3 marks expression (persuasive, formal, logical).
- The letter must go to the Tourism Department Secretary — addressing an editor instead is a direct format error.
Content the question demands
- Identify the gap: 'Atithi Devo Bhava' promotional drives exist, but ground-level behaviour of tourism stakeholders (guides, drivers, hotel staff) is not improving.
- Mention harassment/unprofessional conduct as the concrete problem.
- Propose solutions — sensitisation/ethics training, regulatory measures — not just complaints.
Common mistakes
- Writing a pure complaint letter with no proposed solution.
- Writing to the wrong authority (editor instead of the department).
- An angry/accusatory tone instead of a concerned, constructive one.
Real-world/exam technique
- Reusing the question's own vocabulary — 'sensitize', 'propriety', 'hosts' — signals close engagement with the prompt and strengthens the expression score.
- Linking hospitality quality to national reputation and tourism revenue gives the letter a persuasive, big-picture close.
Common Mistakes
- 1Writing the letter to a newspaper editor instead of the Tourism Department -- the question specifically asks you to write to the Tourism Department, which requires a different addressee and tone.
- 2Focusing only on the problem (bad behavior of tourism workers) without proposing solutions like training programs, regulations, or helplines -- the question asks for 'concerns', which implies suggesting corrective measures.
- 3Using an informal or overly aggressive tone when addressing a government department -- the letter should be respectful, constructive, and solution-oriented rather than accusatory.
Interesting Facts
The 'Atithi Devo Bhava' campaign was launched by the Indian Ministry of Tourism in 2005 with Bollywood actor Aamir Khan as its brand ambassador, aiming to train taxi drivers, shopkeepers, and hotel staff in tourist-friendly behavior.
India ranked 54th out of 117 countries in the World Economic Forum's 2024 Travel and Tourism Development Index, with tourist safety and ground-level service quality cited as key areas needing improvement.
The Indian tourism industry contributed approximately 5% to India's GDP in 2023 (about $194 billion) and employed over 40 million people, making stakeholder behavior training an economically critical initiative.
Spotted a mistake or something unclear?
Tell us — we fix reported answers fast.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does 'Atithi Devo Bhava' mean and why is it relevant here?
'Atithi Devo Bhava' is a Sanskrit phrase meaning 'The guest is equivalent to God.' It is India's official tourism tagline launched in 2005, and the question uses it to frame the gap between India's hospitality ideal and ground reality.
How is this letter different from a letter to the editor?
A letter to the editor expresses an opinion to the public through a newspaper. This letter is addressed directly to a government department requesting action. The tone is more solution-oriented and less argumentative.
What specific suggestions should I include in this letter?
Include actionable suggestions like ethics training programs for tourism workers, stricter regulations for guides and hotel staff, safety helplines for tourists, and awareness campaigns about respectful host behavior.