COLVA: Heavy rains, inclement weather and lack of plans to boost monsoon tourism seems to have dulled Colva beach, robbing its touristic vibrancy and almost leaving it ‘lifeless’ during this part of the year.
Where once there was the boisterous cheer of euphoric tourists and laughter of the locals on this second-largest beach of Goa, there is now only sounds of the roaring waves lashing the shore and perhaps whispers of surrounding businessmen, who decry and moan the dwindling numbers that in turn have robbed their livelihood during this lean period.
It appears as if savings and money sent from relatives working abroad is tiding them over during this difficult phase.
Former sarpanch of Colva Snowkon Gonsalves, who runs a resort called Skylark Beach Resort, said there was hardly any business during monsoons and he receives hardly one or two guests a week, which has forced him to cut costs and reduce the number of staff.
Proprietor of Johnny Cool, John Fernandes says he has stray guests walking in but the lean period has not affected him much as his place was managed by him and his wife and they were optimistic that better times would return.
However, Vincent Gracias who owns Vinson’s Cottages has a problem at hand as he and his wife are old and have difficulty managing things and have to depend upon their sons who work overseas. Fortunately one son is keen to return soon and run the place and appointed new staff.
Jose Fernandes, who owns Lactancia has now leased the management of the restaurant following deaths in the family. And though he has some rooms to let there are no takers and has to live off the rent of the restaurant.
Xavier Fernandes who owns Portofino the happening restaurant in Colva which is usually crowded during the season is managing the monsoon season with a skeletal staff as there are no guests during this season.
“We have to survive with what we have earned during the season,” he said while also castigating the government for paying only lip-service to promoting monsoon tourism.
He was of the opinion that some entertainment facilities could be set up in Colva to make monsoon tourism successful.
Stressing on the urgent need for cleanliness he said, there were no dustbins around and while the foreigners generally carried their bottles and waste, the Indians did not hesitate while littering anywhere they pleased.
The owner of Meeting Point travel agency Sita Antao says there were hardly any bookings during the monsoons as the Indian tourists who come to Colva during this season do their own bookings or drive down in their own vehicles.
“We have to use our earnings made during the season to pay the staff during the monsoons,” she said adding that Goa and Colva in particular could be marketed better during the monsoons.
