Team Herald
MARGAO: The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) acknowledged on Sunday that the recent incident involving tourists, who recounted their “horrible experience” with local taxi operators outside a Varca hotel, as captured in a viral video, could damage Goa’s reputation as a wedding destination. TTAG emphasised that customers’ freedom of choice must be respected at all times.
Commenting on the potential impact of this incident on Goa’s tourism, particularly the wedding industry, TTAG president Jack Sukhija said, “Yes, it is a self goal, and recurring incidents will definitely lead to a loss of business.”
Sukhija urged the State government to permit app-based taxis to operate in Goa, whether through an app developed by local taxi operators or by larger aggregators such as Ola and Uber.
Sukhija said, “The government needs to address the taxi issue urgently. Customers must have the freedom to choose their mode of transport. In today’s world, technology and app-based transport solutions are essential and should be available throughout the State. It’s time for local operators to develop their own app, or for the government to guarantee them a minimum rate while allowing apps like Uber and Ola. A draft app policy has been created with these considerations in mind and should be implemented as soon as possible.”