GOVERNMENT OF KERALA

DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM
GUIDELINES FOR RECOGNITION AS AN ACCREDITED
INBOUND TOUR OPERATOR
GUIDELINES
1. Purpose: The Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala as part of its
promotional efforts wants to ensure that it gets credible partners who maintain a
certain discipline in the field of tour operation.
2. The ais a!" o#$e%&i'es: The aims & objectives of the scheme for recognition
of Tour perator are to encourage !ualit", standard and service in the field of
Tour peration so as to promote tourism in Kerala.
(. De)i!i&io!: # Tour operator is one who is engaged in activities related to
ma$ing arrangements for accommodation, transportation, sight seeing,
entertainment and other tourism related activities in Kerala and having its
head!uarters and activities based in Kerala.
*. The accreditation as an approved Tour perator shall be granted b" the
Director, Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala, for two "ears.
+. #fter the e%pir" of the approval period the operator has to appl" for renewal
again along with the re!uisite fee& documents, otherwise their approval will get
automaticall" cancelled.
,. The following conditions must be fulfilled b" the Tour perator for grant of
recognition b" Department of Tourism:'
i- The application for grant of recognition shall be in the prescribed pro forma.
ii- The Tour operator should have a minimum paid up capital (capital emplo"ed)
of *s.+.,, la$hs dul" supported b" the latest audited certificate issued b" a
-hartered #ccountant.
iii- The turnover in terms of foreign e%change or .ndian rupees b" the firm from
tour related activities onl" should be a minimum of *s. /.0 la$hs and 10 2 of the
business of the applicant should be from selling Kerala based products and the
application should contain dul" supported balance sheet&-hartered #ccountant3s
certificate in proof of the same.
i'- The Tour operator should have a proper office with a minimum area of 0,, s!.ft.
The office should be located in a neat and clean surrounding and e!uipped
with telephone, fa%, computer reservation s"stem etc. There should be sufficient
space for reception and eas" access to toilets.

'- The Tour operator should have a minimum of three e%perienced and well
!ualified e%ecutive staff under its direct emplo"ment out of which at least two
should have diploma&degree in travel and tourism from a recogni4ed 5niversit",
..T6, K.TT7 or an institution approved b" Govt. of Kerala or #.-T8. The academic
!ualification ma" be rela%ed in case of e%perienced personnel in airlines,
shipping, transport, 9* agencies, hotels and other corporate bodies and those
who have two "ears e%perience with 6inistr" of Tourism approved tour operators.
'i- The #genc" must clearl" indicate its speciali4ation of activities or activit" it
wishes to pursue as business.
'ii- The field staff members of the part" must be !ualified for the activit" or must
have minimum of three "ears of practical e%perience in the field of Tour
operation.
'iii- The agenc" must maintain in its office premises all the maps and reference
material concerning the particular activities it desires to pursue as business.
i.- The part" must have good !ualit" printing brochures and a website clearl"
describing its present activities.
.- The firm should clearl" indicate the area of speciali4ation in all their
promotional and displa" materials.
.i- The tour operator should be an .ncome Ta% assessee and should have filed .ncome Ta%
return, for the last two financial "ears.
.ii- The Tour perator should have been in operation for a minimum period of
two "ears before the date of application.
.iii-. The Tour perator should be registered as per the companies3
act&registered partnership deed & 7ole 9roprietorship and should possess all valid
documents.
.i'-. The Tour perator should be reregistered with the labour department as per
the shop and establishment act of Kerala.
.'-. :an$ers confidential report&statement for a period of latest si% months should
be submitted along with the application.
.'i-. 7eparate application with fee shall be submitted for the accreditation and
renewal of the ;ead ffice as well as each :ranch ffice.
.'ii-. The Tour perator shall contract&use approved speciali4ed agencies in the
field of adventure options and related services for tourists.
/. The Tour perator will be re!uired to pa" a non'refundable fee of *s. 0,,,,&'
(*upees <ive Thousand onl") for head office and *s.10,,&'(*upees Two Thousand
five hundred onl") for each branch while appl"ing for the accreditation and renewal.

The DD for the above amount ta$en in favour of the Director, Department of
Tourism Kerala pa"able at Thiruvananthapuram should reach the following
address within seven da"s from the date of online submission of application
along with originals of the certificate from the chartered accountant stating the
paid up capital and turnover (item no: , 0 11 in the list of documents).
A""ress2
The Depu&3 Dire%&or 4Mar5e&i!6-
Kera7a Touris
Par5 Vie8
Thiru'a!a!&hapura9((:
Te72 ;*/192+,;***
Eai72 a%%re"i&a&io!<5era7a&ouris.or6
=. The decision of the committee consisting of the following members in the
matter of accreditation shall be final.
1. Dire%&or: Depar&e!& o) Touris9Co!'e!er
2. Represe!&a&i'e: IATO9Me#er
(. Represe!&a&i'e: TAAI9 Me#er
*. Represe!&a&i'e: ADTOI9 Me#er
;owever, the Department of Tourism, Govt. of Kerala ma" in their discretion
refuse accreditation to an" firm or withdraw&withhold at an" time accreditation
alread" granted at an" time. :efore such a decision is ta$en, necessar" show
cause notice would invariabl" be issued and the repl" considered on merit.
Termination will be done onl" after careful consideration and generall" as a last
resort. *easons for withdrawal would be mentioned in the show cause notice
and final order.
>. Tour perator granted accreditation alone will be entitled to the incentives
and concessions if an" granted b" the Govt. of Kerala from time to time and
shall abide b" the terms and conditions of accreditation as prescribed from time
to time b" the Govt. of Kerala.
1;. -omplaints received from the guests about the accredited tour operator will
be referred to the above committee for a preliminar" en!uir" and if re!uired a
detailed en!uir" thereafter and their findings and recommendations on the
action to be ta$en will be considered b" the Director, Tourism for appropriate action
including termination.

11. The names of the accredited tour operator alone will be included in all the
promotional materials published b" the department of tourism and also in the
official website.
12. The accredited Tour perator should emplo" onl" regional guides trained
and licensed b" the 6inistr" to Tourism, Govt. of .ndia and state level guides
approved b" the 7tate Govt.
1(. The Government of .ndia approved tour operators need to submit the
application online in the prescribed format with the re!uired pa"ments as
specified and with the self'attested cop" of the approval from Government of
.ndia. Their accreditation will be given online on submission of the above items.
1*. Disclaimer: The Department of Tourism, Government of Kerala would not be
responsible for an" claims b" the clients of the approved Tour perator.
Do%ue!&s &o #e su#i&&e" i! ori6i!a7s
1- DD in favour of the Director, Department of Tourism.
2- -ertificate from the -hartered #ccountant stating the paid up capital
and turnover (item no. , 0 11 in the list of documents)
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