‘Goa’ as a word, cannot be defined. That’s
probably because it holds
different meanings to different people. For most of us, it’s home. But for
others, it can be a place of nature, adventure, inner peace, luxury,
indulgence, merrymaking, vibrant nightlife, wellness and much more. Yes, many
of these attractions may contridict each other but they still find place in Goa
because of which, this sunny state is the perfect holiday destination 365 days
of the year.
“It
has been happening for quiet sometime now, especially with flights from north
and south of India connecting with Goa. With the room occupancy being 75
percent on average through the year and 50 percent in the off season, hoteliers
don’t have anything to complain about. The trend is very good. However, hotels
should maintain good standard and justify the rates that they are charging with
qualitative services. Otherwise, short-sighted efforts will end up in a
disaster,” says Jacob John, Vice President of Operations, Whispering Palms
Beach Resort, Sinquerim.
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Amit
Bakhale, Partner, Cohiba, Taverna – Panjim and Tao, says, “Goa has actually
become a 365-day destination because people are getting more exposed to travel
ideas; we are now getting people from smaller cities as well, it’s not just the
metros.I believe all the private stakeholders are doing everything within their
capacity, possibly even above and beyond to push the tourism industry in Goa to
newer heights. Today it’s the stakeholders in Goa who have contributed to the
vibe that tourists hunger for. When I got into the industry people said Goa
will lose out to states like Kerala however we haven’t and I think it’s our
culture here that draws people to the state.
“In
terms of what we do to keep up to the demands, we focus on getting the best
entertainment, ranging from comedy nights to live bands who we bring from
across the country and sometimes across the world. We also do things for the
local community like karaoke competitions and dance competitions.”
Maendra
Alvares of Big Foot Museum, Loutolim says, “Goa is indeed very popular but in
the long mileage, we have to distinguish ourselves as being worthy of a visit.
We have to offer the ‘Unique to Goa’ concept as our USP like hinterland
tourism, heritage tourism, education tours, Goa in the rains, etc. If we had
more scheme-related offers and immediate attention from the authorities, it
would lend strength to our elbows of efforts. The balance of maintaining a
qualifying standard and catering to tourists from all the strata – social and
infrastructural – becomes very difficult. On account of low accommodations
rates, we have a huge influx of visitors. This in turn forces us to be open to
all kinds of offers so as to enable the visitors to afford entrance and provide
a huge range of variety to enhance and retain interest.”
Ricardo
D’Lima, General Manager of Fortune Miramar says, “We are at exciting times in
Goa, where we have finally come of age as a 365-day destination. We’ve seen a
lot of good infrastructure being built, new services and attractions added, but
at the same time, due care is taken to sustain our natural resources and
maintain the natural beauty of Goa. There’s a lot to do in Goa around the year
and our guests are very happy with all these options.”
Graham
Valadares of Travel Stop says, “Goa is definitely a 365-day destination with
different themes. International tourists prefer visiting Goa from October to
March while the domestic tourists visit even during the monsoons and club long
weekend together, which is a major chance of business in Goa. The six-lane
highway from the north to south of Goa will be a big boost for tourism. The government
should also introduce tourist attractions in South Goa, similar to the Hop-
On-Hop-Off buses and river cruises of North Goa. I also feel that taxi services
like Ola and Uber should be allowed to come to Goa as it will change tourism in
Goa. The taxi drivers from Goa can also join in and benefit from it.”
Sagar Kulkarni,
Partner at Travel World Goa, says, “Goa has become a 365 days destinations with
many tourism-related options growing enormously. Also, we have seen a
considerable growth in the outbound tourism area, where Goans have also tried
and explored new destinations like Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, known as the
Caucasian triangle. Seoul, Philippines, Japan is also picking up as new tourism
destination and also many other in Far East like Vietnam, Cambodia, Uzbekistan
and Croatia. Goans are very much interested in learning about new tourism
destinations in India as well as in the world which are unexplored by other
markets and we have an edge over such destinations in Goa.”
Vernon Xavier, MD,
Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Fatorda, says, “Being from the hospitality sector,
I can confidently say that through the year, especially during the rains, the
tourist trickle has indeed improved. Tourism can greatly gain from this but
what it needs is continuous government support. We require better
infrastructure and things to do post 10pm. Today’s tourist is well read, knows
what he wants and needless to say, spends well. Our opportunity here lies in
providing services worth their money and makingtheir stay more memorable.”
Vincent
Ramos, Area Director, Taj, Goa and General Manager at Taj Exotica Resort &
Spa reveals, “The Indian Hotels Company Ltd were the pioneers when they opened
the first five star luxury resort in Goa, Taj Fort Aguada Resort & Spa. Since
then, Taj and Goan hospitality have been synonymous. It is always a matter of
great pride and prestige to be the most preferred hotel for the tourists and
heads of states visiting Goa.Taj in Goa has recently under gone a complete
renovation and refurbishment to keep up with the latest trends and requirements
of today’s travellers, at the same time retaining its old world charm and
heritage. With the ethos of ‘Atithi Devo Bhava’, I feel the state of Goa and
Taj are ready and looking forward to a happy and prosperous season ahead.”
