Team Herald
MARGAO: Goa Forward Party (GFP) has criticized the recent Tourism Board meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, calling it poorly timed and ineffective. The meeting, which was held as the tourism season nears its end, represents a reactive approach to governance, according to GFP President Vijai Sardesai.
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He claimed that no Tourism Board meeting had been convened since 2023, and the recent meeting was only called after he demanded the minutes under Legislative Assembly Questions. The Fatorda MLA questioned the timing of discussions on infrastructure improvements, transport regulations, and cultural promotion, arguing these should have been addressed before the tourism season began.
Sardesai also raised concerns about the lack of data backing the policy proposals discussed in the meeting. According to Sardesai, the proposals, including infrastructure development at cruise terminals, regulated taxi fares, and cultural tourism initiatives, were already outlined in the KPMG Tourism Policy but remain unimplemented. “Recycling old announcements does not constitute governance—it is a betrayal of Goa’s tourism industry and its stakeholders,”
he stated.
“Goa’s tourism sector is in dire need of visionary leadership, but the government has chosen to be more focused on optics than on delivering results,” the GFP President added. He characterized the meeting as a hasty response to criticism rather than a genuine attempt at governance, adding that the lack of a coherent, data-driven, and timely approach was pushing the state’s tourism industry into further decline.
GFP asserted that tourism is the lifeline of Goa’s economy, and called for an end to what Sardesai termed the government’s “Goa for sale” policy.
Sardesai accused the current administration of prioritizing commissions and vested interests over the welfare of local residents, arguing that tourism should instead empower locals and create sustainable livelihoods.
“Tourism should empower locals, create sustainable livelihoods, and allow Goans to reap the dividends of their rich heritage, culture, and natural beauty—not reduce them to mere spectators in their own land,” Sardesai
emphasised.
GFP has demanded transparency, accountability, and concrete action from the government.
