I have been to high-end destinations as well as value for money ones. I have been to touristy sites and those that many have not even heard of. Yet my heart yearns for Goa – the land of my birth and one of the most beautiful destinations on earth.
It pains me that though Goa has everything a top-end tourist destination has to offer and compete with the best in the world, we are doing little or nothing to actually develop it. Yes, there is random development benefiting a few and may I dare say, outsiders who come from Mumbai and Delhi. But we can develop a plan which will not only make Goa one of the top 10 tourist destinations in the world but also benefit the locals.
Some of my suggestions are below:
a) Development of Beaches and the coastline: Goa has a huge coastline and quality beaches. However we have not provided any amenities for those who use them. We need to provide showers, toilets, play areas for different age groups and different sport like volleyball, etc, proper garbage collection as well as garbage bins. Regulation is also needed for the vendors who sell their wares on the beaches and harrow tourists to purchase something.
b) In addition, we need to regulate the current water sporting facilities on offer to ensure high safety standards. A true beach destination has many different options for people at affordable prices. But they need to be safe. Not a single accident is acceptable.
c) Development of the hinterland: We have several waterways and rivers which can provide options to tourists like canoeing, rafting, angling.
d) Regulations of restaurants: Today you have at least a new restaurant popping up every day. Several of these shut down within months. There must be a streamlined process to regulate these restaurants so that we can monitor their hygiene standards, the hygiene and quality of food served and the money that they make. I propose that we set up an independent body to regulate hygiene standards of food and premises. I also propose like many European countries, all billing systems of restaurants be linked to a central system so that taxes that are due to the government can be accounted for. These taxes can further be used to develop the tourism economy of Goa.
e) Regulations of motels: Anyone and everyone who has a room to offer in Goa, has put it up on one of the many e-commerce sites for rent. Some of these also offer food and drink and most of it is unregulated. There must be a centralized body that issues permits to these owners based on hygiene standards and amenities on offer. Without this permit, the owner must not be allowed to put his room on rent. This is a common practice in many European countries and tourist destinations. This will again ensure quality in terms of hygiene and amenities and will be a quality standard for tourists and raise the profile of Goa’s tourism.
f) Regulation of hotels: All hotels must be under scrutiny regarding their use of water and waste management policies in addition to the general hygiene of food and premises. This regulation must be done by an independent authority.
g) Transportation is today controlled by the taxi mafia in Goa. We need a better transportation system which is cheap, clean, frequent, convenient and safe for all. I propose a network of mini buses that link major cities with the beaches and which run at regular intervals especially during the tourist season. This will not only cut down the use of scooters and motorbikes but also will encourage people to explore other parts of Goa.
h) Garbage collection and disposal: Goa does not have a waste management policy. As a result most of the household garbage is burnt leading to environmental damage. We need to have a proper waste management system which includes garbage segregation, recycling and reuse, garbage collection and disposal. Remember, we are running out of land to dump our garbage in. Our land is precious and should be used to develop our tourism not filled with garbage.
i) Lastly we have a history which is very different from the rest of India. Should we not take full advantage of it? We have churches and temples that are centuries old, forts that have withstood the test of time and beautiful old houses that speak volumes. We need to preserve this for the future generation but we can ensure that they also generate revenue for the current generation. Let us take pride in our museums and develop it. Give the rest of India and the world a true taste of what Goa is about and what it has to offer.
Since a lot of money has already been spent on Dabolim airport to upgrade the infrastructure, what is the plan to ensure that this continues to be the only airport in Goa? What is the justification that it is not sufficient to meet the needs of the anticipated tourist arrivals?
Goa is more than a land of being free and hedonistic where one can drink merrily and leave all inhibitions aside. It is also a land full of history and culture of a people that are proud yet sensitive, welcoming yet very private, inclusive yet allowing everyone their space. We need a concerted effort to ensure that Goa is and continues to be one of the most sought after tourist destinations. We cannot let our guard down.
(Vito Gomes has also been actively involved in many business ventures globally – where the core business has been aviation.)
