Members of the Dudhsagar Jeep Operators Association recently held a meeting at their office here, demanding that the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) hand back control of the online booking website for Dudhsagar tours.
The operators alleged that GTDC’s involvement has led to increased prices for tourists and significantly impacted their business. They demanded the complete withdrawal of GTDC from Dudhsagar operations and warned of an agitation if their demands are not addressed.
Association president Nilesh Velip stated, “As per the Chief Minister’s directive, we operated under GTDC last season. But now we want the government to return the booking website to us. Before GTDC’s entry, we handled everything, from online bookings to ferrying tourists.”
He claimed that GTDC took over their website in 2022 and now manages all bookings through a single counter in Collem, charging higher rates that have made the Dudhsagar ride more expensive for visitors.
Velip further pointed out that GTDC has also taken control of Dudhsagar trekking bookings, forcing local guides to become dependent on them for business. “If our demands are not met, we will be forced to launch an agitation,” he warned.