The Efficacy of Tourism Oriented Policing and Protection Services in Puducherry – A Mixed Method Inquiry

Abstract

Tourism is a global and intensively competitive industry and it entails diverse socio-environmental dynamics. It is however vulnerable to safety and security issues. A safe and peaceful ambience in the destinations is a dire necessity. Puducherry, a city in India, is a spectacular spot in the tourism map of India owing to its buoyant beaches and unique heritage manifests. This work assesses the efficacy of Tourism Oriented Policing (TOP) and other protection services incepted of late in Puducherry. The present study lays accent on the special attributes of tourism policing as distinct from the conventional mode of policing. The hallmark efforts such as capacity building programmes for the personnel responsible for tourists‟ safety and security are examined in the paper using a mixed-methods approach.