23 Mar 2017 | 07:13pm IST
Reviving tourism is Azgaonkar’s major task
Promises transparency in beach cleaning; will promote Goa’s rich cultural diversity
PANJIM: The recovery of the tourism industry after a significant dip owing to demonetisation and the shifting of two mega electronic dance music festivals to Pune will be newly-appointed Tourism Minister Manohar (Babu) Azgaonkar’s biggest challenge.
He will also have to take effective steps to get digital meters installed in tourist taxis even as the matter is currently sub-judice, prepare the beach shack policy for the next three years, as well as decide on the long-pending demand of private shack operators for a separate policy and the Tourism Master Plan.
Besides reviving the economy, the minister has two other priorities – getting rid of beach cleaning scam and shedding Goa’s tainted image. “Protecting Goa’s image as a tourist-friendly destination, shedding its image as a drug haven and promoting Goa’s rich cultural diversity will be among the main agendas. I will ensure that Goenkarponn is preserved,” he told Herald soon after taking over the portfolio on Monday.
With the department embroiled in a multi-crore beach cleaning scam, Azgaonkar has taken up the challenge to bring transparency. “There will be full transparency in the beach cleaning project. I am studying the matter,” he said.
As he chalks out a plan to ensure a taint-free department, Azgaonkar will have to tackle various problems of the stakeholders. After a good two seasons, local businessmen faced a major setback when the Centre scrapped high denomination currency on November 8, just as the State was close to the peak season. Soon after that the shifting of Sunburn and Supersonic to Pune came as a major blow to the tourism sector. Most hotels, resorts and guest houses witnessed a dip in bookings and rush to popular tourist spots declined.
Azgaonkar, reiterating that he is studying all the related factors, stated he will ensure no stakeholders complain of business loss from the coming season onwards. Besides targeting large number of domestic tourists, the minister’s focus will be attracting tourists from countries like Germany, USA, etc other than the usual from Russia and Britain.
One of the major stakeholders, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa has sought that the new minister resolve these issues. “Clean beaches, better garbage management, better management of shacks and beach beds, setting up of tourism board and master plan, solving taxi problems are some of the issues we expect the tourism minister to take up on priority,” TTAG President Savio Messias said. So also, it seeks that funds provided by the Centre should be sensibly utilised and not misused for development of roads, playgrounds, etc.
TTAG delegation meets new Tourism Minister
PANJIM: A delegation of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa met Tourism Minister Manohar (Babu) Azgaonkar to discuss various aspects of the industry and to work in coordination to raise the standard of tourism. “We discussed various issues. It was our first meet so we did not burden him with issues pertaining to this sector. He has just taken over and hence will need time to understand the issues,” a TTAG official said. TTAG offered its support to ensure tourism flourishes in the State, and suggested resolving various pending issues like better management of shacks and beach beds, setting up of Tourism Board and Master Plan, and better usage of central funds among others.
