TravTalk India Online Magazine
Pramod Sawant, the Chief Minister of Goa, says that the new tourism policy aims to provide some relief to the travel trade of the state, add more homestays and tourist spots, and make Goa the most sought-after destination by 2024.
Nisha Verma
Claiming that the tourism and hospitality sectors are very important for Goa and contribute to the economy of the state, Pramod Sawant shares, “In 2019, Goa saw over 71 lakh domestic arrivals and over 9 lakh international arrivals. In 2020, due to the COVID-19 crisis however, the number of tourists would be significantly less. But,in August 2020, we saw almost 12 lakh domestic tourist arrivals, and only 3 lakh foreign arrivals. Initially a time of uncertainty, we have learnt to deal with COVID and the government has supported the tourism industry since
the lockdown.”
The CM adds that Goa has been able to handle the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic with a high recovery rate. “Owing to constraints, the government could only give some financial relief such as a deduction in fixed electricity charges, waiver of 50 per cent on tax for commercial vehicles, etc. All restrictions and conditions that were put on tourists have been removed. The response of domestic tourists has been very encouraging. Going forward, we need to ponder on how to build resilience across the entire tourism value chain,” he says.
Since October, Goa has been witnessing a steady increase in the flow of tourists, especially during the weekends, and Sawant adds that starred hotels are expected to do well with the increase in arrivals even though footfalls will be lower than they were in the past season.
Tourism policy
The Chief Minister says that his government has recently launched the new state tourism policy, which will help them push systematic development in the sector. It is aimed to offer the unique Goan experience by presenting a mix of historic, natural and cultural locations & attractions, he adds. The policy also aims to make Goa the most preferred destination by 2024, and the minister expects it to be the backbone for taking crucial decisions on development and marketing.
The government is now planning to encourage homestays in the hinterland. Sawant says, “Subsidies and easy finance are being made available to families to restore their traditional Goan houses and to further encourage them to convert them into profitable entrepreneurial ventures. The government aims to showcase the unique village culture as well as protect nature in the hinterland.”
He adds, “We are in touch with Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Civil Aviation, and Ministry of Foreign Affairs to allow charter flights into Goa at the earliest and open the visa facility for tourists. We are in discussion with CII and other bodies for formulation of the new Tourism Promotion Board for Goa. The regional board, i.e. Goa Tourism, is constituted to take tourism in Goa forward ina focused manner and in the right direction. The aim is to give better infrastructure for the state, which promotes tourism. Work on the Greenfield international airport at Mopa is also in full swing, and it will have no restrictions on landing hours,” he says.
For M!CE, Sawant informs that they are coming up with a convention centre in the heart of Panjim city, which can cater to almost 1500 people at a time. For weddings, too, the government isin the process of giving single-window clearance for all permissions required. Even for film shooting, they have simplified the process of obtaining the licence in Goa, Sawant claims.
Government of Goa’s tourism plan
- Open new tourism spots and add them to the tourism map
- Create a robust system to bring smaller hospitality players under a single portal
- Push for ease of doing business
- Amend excise laws
- Do away with the need for annual police clearance
- Issue five-year excise licence
- Provide discount on upfront fee on five-year tourist licence
