India, Feb. 18 -- The conviction of the three persons accused of the gang-rape of two women, including an Israeli tourist, and the murder of a male Indian tourist who sought to come to their rescue, in Hampi, Karnataka, is reassuring. The police arrested the three men within 48 hours of the crime, and the judicial proceedings concluded in less than a year. However, the pace of police action and sentencing can't undo the loss to the families of the dead or the reputational damage to India's image as a safe tourist destination. Hampi lost out big on tourist footfall after the incident last April. Unfortunately, Hampi is not the exception. Foreign tourists in India, especially women, constantly report crimes that range from harassment to rape. Action follows, sometimes providing closure to the victim, but very often, the perpetrators go scot free or escape with light punishment as the complainants leave rather than doggedly pursue justice. This must change for India to realise its tourism potential. A major reason for such underperformance is the tourism infrastructure, especially the safety aspect of it. To start with, local communities and state governments need to be sensitised to have a long-term view of the tourism economy. A non-intrusive tourist police can help in addressing safety concerns: Many states have them, but just like the police departments, these wings too are understaffed and poorly trained. Local bodies could augment the shortfall in funds and personnel and sensitise and train community members to add layers to safety guardrails. Athithi devo bhava can't just be a PR tagline; it needs to become a behavioural trait on the ground for the tourism economy to take off. Countries such as Sri Lanka have built their tourism economies, which generate jobs in large numbers, by focussing on soft infrastructure. India should follow suit....