Tourism stakeholders need the jab too for safer tourist spaces

 Front line workers. A phrase used to classify most COVID heroes amd rightly so. As Goa walks on thin ice with normally suddenly getting rocked with a spurt im cases there is talk of another lot of front line workers- our tourism stakeholders needing vaccination on priority. They are after all at the critical end of the industry and this virus moves across borders thanks to human interactions. Tito Proenca hotelier who has properties in Arpora and Calangute felt it made a lot of sense to ensure anyone over the age of fifty among the front-line staff should be given the vaccine. He said “They are interacting with the guests regularly and it would make a lot of sense to give them the vaccine. It will raise confidence levels.” Savio Messias hotelier and former top honcho at TTAG said the fact people in the industry interacted a lot of guests meant they would be in danger of contracting the virus. The spread of the virus, he said could also be attributed to the large number of tourists who would visit the state every month. The vaccine if given to the frontline staff and others in the industry would help fight it. Nilesh Shah the President of TTAG felt if this was done it would help project the image of Goa nationally and internationally as a place that was conscious of the dangers of the virus and was taking steps to fight it. He said “We have to present this image of a place that is focused on taking all the steps to fight this virus and to protect those in the industry as well as those who will visit us”. However Jack Sukhija felt it was a very difficult question to ask because he felt people who were elderly should be the first to receive the vaccines followed by medical staff, then teachers who would be interacting with students and then perhaps the front end staff at hotels. He said “Tourists move all over the state and there is a chance they will infect or catch the infection. Everyone is at risk. It is very difficult to say that front end staff in the hospitality industry should get the vaccine.” Another big gun of the industry Vincent Ramos Area Director-IHCL, Goa and GM Taj Resort and Convention Centre Goa said they were all front-line workers. He said “ When the lock down was announced and we were converted into a quarantine facility, we became front-line workers helping fight the spread. Many of the sailors stayed at the hotel for a period of time. It would make a lot of sense if front-line workers were given the vaccine.” Anand Chatterjee GM Planet Hollywood said he was discussing this very point with a close relative and was about to post letters to the trade body suggesting this be done. He said “In our profession we are exposed to a large number of guests and to keep this industry moving it is important that the health of the people working in it be safeguarded. They are contributing to the economy of the country by ensuring the travelers are taken care. From housekeeping to those handling the reception to the flight purser they are all front-line workers. Everyone should be given the opportunity to get vaccinated as a front-line worker.” Jacob John Director Vibrant Hospitality Services felt in the interest of all hotel staff it would be much appreciated if they were given priority. He said this was one sickness that did not give a pre warning. Ajith Nair Head Of Sales & Marketing at The Zuri White Sands Goa Resort & Casino echoed similar sentiments saying there was a lot of contact between front-line staff and guests and it would make a lot of sense to give them all a vaccination. Perhaps it would make a lot of sense to initiate a campaign to ensure all front-line staff in hotels received a vaccine. A delay could increase the possibility of the spread of the virus and no one wants that.