While the four
seasons, still, notwithstanding the impact of climate change, come on time, while the
leaves fall in autumn and the flowers bloom in spring, there is a fifth season
in Goa, which doesn’t seem to follow any pattern. It’s called the tourist
season.
It’s almost November. In the last week of November a cyclonic
burst threatened to leave a huge impact on the season. Or let’s say another
telling blow to a battered industry. Thankfully the storm passed, literally and
otherwise but left in its wake searching questions on whether other factors
will actually kill the season. While no one’s proclaiming dooms day yet, there
is apprehension writ large, with more than a hint of serious worry. And if this
continues for a month longer, we could be bordering on the edge of panic.
That is when restaurant and shack owners will have to offload
cooks and other staff , if shacks doesn’t start and there is no business, water
sports operators will not see business and the entire allied activity of fish,
meat, fruit and vegetable supplies to shacks and restaurants will be hit. In
any case, vendors are stranded with mounting credit from restaurants from the
previous seasons.
The big blow this season however was the collapse of Thomas Cook
in the UK which would guarantee a minimum of 30-40,000 tourists a season. Given
this big gap in the season how is the trade managing to cope with business.
There are two takes
on the season depending on who you are. Some stake holders and heads of hotels
who have a fixed business from ICE and events know that their bottom lines will
be protected. Hence their responses were predictable and may not quite be in
sink with the larger reality, but we will play them out for you
Savio Messias,
President TTAG was categorical when he said only the fittest in the business
would survive. He admitted margins would drop this year but these cycles in
trade were anticipated by experienced operators. Savio said “In preparation for
the season some people take money from the market to do up their properties in preparation
for the season. People who did not extend themselves too much taking such loans
will survive. Please remember we have the domestic market which is always
there. The Diwali weekend was excellent and I expect the domestic market to
fill the breach. All the flights coming in from Mumbai, Delhi and other major
metros were full. The domestic tourist spends so much more.
When I raise a stink
about the domestic tourist coming here it is a slice of the segment that does
not stay in any hotel and spends his entire day drinking.” He went on to say
that presently a handful of charter flights had only come and more would be
expected in the weeks ahead.
Victor Soares Sr GM
Raddison Blu said he never depended on people’s whims and fancies. He said
“Last season we had 89% occupancy and this season we are targeting 92%. We
don’t train our staff to think in terms of seasons. We expect them to help our
guests have a wonderful experience. We have a few charter flights, MICE,
individual travellers both domestic and international of a certain profile. We
had rains during Diwali but our staff made it a very enjoyable experience with
their positive attitude. We have learned to ride the tide.”
Amar Dhumatker of
Caper which is focussed on the Russian market said as of now there would be 9
to 10 flights a week. From November 1, he said there would be a flight a day
and twice a week there would be two flights a day. And if things really worked
out fine, even three flights a day. He was confident it would be a good season
atleast from their markets. This he said would continue till March or even
April. Amar said “ Yes, Thomas Cook collapsed but that’s business”.
BUT WILL HOPE TURN INTO REALITY
All of the above is
hope. One only has to see rows of empty restaurants in the northern coastal
belt, the desolate beaches with hardly any shacks open to see where reality
bites.
The Bombay High Court
has allowed the government to go ahead with the shack policy while ordering “no
actual allotment of shacks or commencement of operation till further orders”.
The National Green
Tribunal (NGT), in September stayed the implementation of the Shack policy
2019-2022 Goa Coastal Zone Management Plan (CZMP) was finalised
Notwithstanding what
hotel GM’s and TTAG presidents may say, can tourism in Goa start without shacks
being operational?
The
irony lies in this. Earnest Dias of Sita revealed that TUI would be flying in
four times a week. Earnest said “We are getting tourists from Israel and
December a charter flight every week from Poland”. But will this tourists do if
there no beach activity because this is what draws them to Goa.
