Satyajit Prabhudessai
Tourist season will commence from October and we should be prepared for that fully. Tourism authority should be aware of many hurdles and resolve them in the days to come. We must have better infrastructure and the good facilities for tourists. Permission for shacks should be granted as early as possible without any delaying techniques. Government must take care of people who are dependent on shack business as their only profession. Proper study is required by experts regarding the new tourism policies to attract maximum tourist in the State. Tourism in Goa should benefit maximum locals with decent income.
Goan food is loved all over the world, there are many Goan restaurants in the UK, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, USA, etc. and when the tourist comes from Europe they love to eat Goan food. There are many restaurants in the coastal belts which prepare Goan food but it is mostly cooked by chefs from Bengal, Nepal, Punjab, etc. who don’t know much about Goan cuisine, so what is missing in this food is the aroma of real Goan taste and some of the ingredients. So most important for this restaurants is to employ Goan cooks .
Government should promote Goan food and Goan people should be given loans with much less interest around 3 to 4 per cent including subsidies. They should be given permissions to start cooking from their homes, kiosks etc. This will create self employment among the Goan youth. We have so much of variety in our cuisine. Mostly we notice our fish curry rice is served with curry, rice and fried fish in these restaurants which is not correct.
Items like vindalho, sorpotel, caldin, recheiado, sukhem, tonakh, dhabdhabit etc., particularly both of our Goan Hindu and Catholic cuisines, should be promoted. Where the spices and herbs are sold there should be some free booklets about Goan cuisine to be given complimentary to the valuable customers. Goan food must be given prime importance. We can also promote dishes like tizan or nachnyache satva for breakfast and should explain to customers about its nutrition value and benefits. Hope this season our government will follow right directions to increase flow of tourists and promote Goan cuisine.
