With the Tourism portfolio in his hands, Union Minister of State, Shripad Naik, who is also the North Goa Member of Parliament, spoke words to the tourism industry in Goa that has been reeling under the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic would have sounded like soothing music. He assured the industry of a special package and special preference when implementing national policies. Naik also spoke of the need of a good tourism policy to revive the State’s economy stressed by the pandemic. His promise to the State is to give it preference and see that tourism starts at the earliest, as well as discussions with the State government on new projects in the tourism sector and thereafter submitting the proposals to the Central government.
For the tourism industry that is desperately looking for some sign that the existing situation will improve, the statements could not have come at a better time. The 2020-2021 season has been one of the most dreadful for the industry, as there were no foreign charters and no foreign free of itinerary travellers either. The little business that was transacted came from domestic tourists who braved the pandemic situation for a holiday in Goa in the first few months of the current year. That experience didn’t end well for Goa as COVID cases skyrocketed beginning March onward with a devastating second wave in April and May. Any tourism revival plans, will therefore have to exercise caution in this respect until the pandemic fades away.
Against this background, reviving tourism during the time that the pandemic persists, and ensuring that the tourists as well as the resident population remain safe, will be a gargantuan task for the government. But, the downward turn taken by the economy has to be corrected and for Goa, tourism will play an important role in its economic recovery. For livelihoods to get back in line, tourism is necessary, yet it can’t come at the cost of health issues – especially serious health issues. The Central government has been warning of uncontrolled tourism in certain States where people have been photographed and videographed going about without following the COVID protocols and guidelines. Goa can’t take such risks after its recent experience.
Perhaps it has learnt its lesson, for Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant is on record stating that Goa will think of reopening fully for tourism only after all of the eligible State residents have been inoculated with at least one dose of the COVID vaccine. The target date for the 100 per cent vaccination is July 30 and Goa is on course to meet it. Currently tourists entering Goa need a COVID negative certificate that is not older than 72 hours, but there are efforts to relax this in the future. When looking at the broader picture of the economy, Goa cannot overlook its tourism industry and efforts to get it back on track have to be planned in well in advance.
The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa has acted with a lot of maturity in this crisis. In past weeks, in a letter to the government, the association categorically said no to high capacity events that are super spreaders and called for a rebuilding of the tourism image of Goa in light of the negative publicity that the State generated due to the second wave and increasing numbers. The plans Naik, in his capacity as Union Minister of State for Tourism has for Goa, should include this image building exercise. There are still two and a half months before the tourism season officially starts in Goa. There is ample time to work on this image building, but the efforts have to begin now.
