THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024
Deputy Chief Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar’s repeated public statements that Goa wants the ‘richest tourists’ does not soar well with the State’s tourism policies. He said it last week and has said so again this week. Statements such as these could harm Goa's marketing prospects in the international market as these are picked up by the media internationally within minutes of being made. This is exactly what is happening with the ‘richest tourists’ statements and could push back Goa’s efforts at putting the State’s tourism industry back on the rails after the downturns of the past two years.
Such statements cannot be made without a proper understanding of the local situation and the thousands of people who are dependent on all classes of tourists visiting the State. Has the minister given a thought to the thousands of hotels and restaurants that cater to tourists who are not affluent? These entrepreneurs have invested in their businesses, and will not be able to scale up operations to cater to the rich. There is no conceivable manner in which Goa can close its borders to tourists who are not rich. It would have to market itself to the affluent and have amenities for this class of tourists. It would mean high-end amenities that include golf courses, which given the opposition to the latter are not possible.
Simultaneously, the State has been networking with the Centre on permitting charter landings and approvals have now been granted. One sure manner of stopping the not rich tourists from coming to Goa would be to stop the charter flights from Europe that bring in huge numbers of budget travellers. Is the Goa government ready to take such a drastic measure that could have enormous fallout on the industry? A tourism industry that is struggling to survive without the charter traveller will not take kindly to such a change in policy matters. Our ministers must be more discerning when they speak up to the media on issues that could affect the State adversely.
Goa’s portfolio of tourists has to include all, from the budget travellers to the super rich who will patronise the gamut of tourism businesses and attractions that have already come up in the State. Goa cannot forget that the tourists who put the State on the international tourism map were the hippies who came to Goa in the 1960s. It has to understand that it needs travellers of all economic backgrounds for the industry to survive.
The Goa Tourism Policy that was recently released by the government aims to promote the State to all segments of tourists, but stresses on quality. Is the Minister therefore meaning quality tourists when he speaks of richest? That, quality tourists, Goa could do with, for what Goa Tourism desperately requires is tourists who respect the laws and culture of the land, in short, travellers who are disciplined and will enjoy their holiday responsibly. Goa Tourism needs tourists who will not litter the beach, will not cook on the roadside, will not enter into brawls with the local people, will not do drugs in the State. If this is what the Tourism Minister means, then all of Goa will be in accord with his statements. There is no guarantee that the rich class of tourists won’t break the laws or act in the manner they desire.
Goa should be looking at rebuilding the industry post Covid-19 and focus on what makes Goa standout from other tourism destinations, using these to promote itself. This is the most serious and important of issues for the industry at the current time. Whether the tourist be rich or poor is not important, their behaviour is. The aim should be on quality tourists and not solely wealthy tourists.
