HERALD: It has been almost two months since you took charge, what is it that has keeps you busy?
Savio Messias: It has been very interesting. I have taken up many issues and hence it has been very hectic as well. Garbage segregation is one such issue. I have been trying to get hotels, stand alone restaurants to segregate garbage. We started moving out to various stake holders and we have achieved some success in Calangute with the panchayat who have been very helpful. We also had a meeting with the airport authorities regarding the difficulties with long lines at the e-visa counter. A delegation went to Delhi to meet home minister to pursue the issue of the up-gradation of facilities.
We also set up various sub committees like the shack and beach monitoring committee, airport committee, hinterland tourism and home stay committee, airport and civil aviation committee, transport and taxi committee and heritage and guest houses committee and eco tourism committee. We are also changing our bylaws to include tourism bodies like event management companies and other bodies related to tourism and yes stand alone restaurants will now be able to register and join the TTAG.
HERALD: With regards to the next season, what is your assessment of how it will pan out?
SM: We will have tourists coming in this season from a new destination. We expect around 200 arrivals a week from the Czech Republic and a small chunk of 60 seats from Holland every week on scheduled flights. I expect to see a slight increase in the number of British tourists by around 20 per cent. The Russians will be there for sure but not in the numbers usually expected. I am very optimistic about the trade.
Hotels will do very good business due to sports tourism. The AFC U-16 will be held in Goa from September 15 to October 2 and five hotels have been booked. The AFC Congress with 500 delegates from all over Asia will be based in the State from Sept 24 to 26. There will be a lot of VVIP movement and yes the BRICS football tournament featuring the 5 countries will be contested. It will be a u-17 tournament.
The BRICS summit will do for Goa what CHOGM did all those years ago. It will give us a lot of positive mileage in the world.
We recently had a meeting with the Chinese Ambassador during his visit to Goa and maybe in the years to come we could have tourists coming in.
HERALD: What do you think will be the effect of GST on the trade?
SM: Experts believe it will bring down taxes and help industry. I believe it will bring down room rates which will give hotels the option to negotiate more in the international market. It will be good I predict.
HERALD: The IPB has cleared several projects and a large number are 5 start hospitality properties and some are mired in controversy, your take?
SM: It will mean more employment and I welcome the new hotels though I will not comment on the issues surrounding them.
HERALD: What are your expectations for the next 6 months?
SM: Keeping my fingers crossed, we will have a good season. I hope we don’t have a law and order problem due to elections. I also hope the new projects take off like road works before the code of conduct kicks in. I hope the beach cleaning by the govt is taken seriously and now thankfully hotels have offered to help.
