PANJIM, AUG 13
Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) has said that it was attitude to severe those hands that feed us’ that is making tourism industry suffer.
“We have mastered the art of severing the hand that feeds us or you can say killing the goose that lays golden eggs,” Travel and Tourism Association of Goa’s (TTAG) ex-president Kirit Maganlal said.
He said that the taxi operators along the coast have missed the bus due to their extortionist attitude.
“Security along the beach is completely compromised due to poor illumination and garbage littered beaches, which are big ‘no-no’ for the tourist,” Maganlal, who is also the TTAG’s executive committee member, stated.
Maganlal was speaking at the media briefing workshop on ‘coasts, coastal populations and their concerns’ organized by Centre for Science and Environment (CSE) and Goa Union of Journalists (GUJ).
TTAG member said that the State which has attracted Rs 20,000 crore investments in the tourism sector is buckling under pressures from few groups.
“Most of the tourism development is related to the weak governance. There are several pressure groups and big lobbies, which are slugging the state image,” he pointed out.
Maganlal admitted that the coasts in Goa are facing unprecedented pressure of urban development, especially tourism activities and the climatic change.
At the same time he alleged that the local panchayats have failed to work out a solution over garbage menace on the beaches.
“Panchayats are busy giving licences to the structures, illegally, which have sprung along the coast,” he claimed.
He even criticized state government’s apathy to move River Princess ship.
“This is one of the best example how we are destroying our coast,” he stated.
“The ship has eroded the coastline and we are small away from a major catastrophic split,” he added.
Maganlal suggested that the state should have Goa tourism board, an autonomous body which will work on improving the tourism product.
“But the issue is whether government is willing to share its enormous power? And are private partners ready to take up the said challenge,” he questioned.
