Mopa yet to take off, but South Goa stares at a ‘tourism famine’

PANJIM: The International Airport at Mopa is all set to take off soon, but, the coastal State’s South district is already witnessing a decline in tourism with several hotels and resorts catering to international tourists reporting cancellations in their bookings. The reason attributed to these cancellations is that some airline companies have announced the diversion of their flights to the new airport. 

Experts believe that the footfall in tourists will never increase to the extent of making two airports viable in the State. 

Dabolim and Mopa is the first two-airport model in the country which will now be put to the test. 

It may be recalled that the ADPI (Aeroports de Paris Ingenierie) and the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) following a study on dual airports have stated that two airports for Goa are not recommended. 

The activists opposing the Mopa airport and demanding retention of the Dabolim Airport have reiterated their stand that the new Greenfield airport is going to deal a death blow to the tourism industry and to the livelihood of thousands of Goans dependant on tourism. 

Now, as the commissioning of the Mopa airport nears, the hopes of Dabolim Airport remaining open for the civilian aircraft appear bleak. 

The Middle-East–based carrier Oman Air has already announced its decision to shift its operations to Mopa from January 1 next year. 

By this move Oman Air has ditched the Dabolim Airport even before the commissioning of the giant aerodrome. 

Now, some domestic airlines have also started turning their back on Dabolim. The Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport (SBSI), Chandigarh, has announced its winter schedule, adding two new flights to Goa, which will land at Mopa airport soon. 

Experts from the aviation industry say that without a proper plan for Mopa, the viability for two airports is doubtful. 

Vito Gomes, a service provider at over 3,000 airports across the globe shared his thoughts regarding the viability of two airports in Goa. 

“The passenger footfall is going to increase but it is never going to increase enough by having two airports operational in Goa”, warned Gomes.

“There has to be long and short-term plans for Mopa airport. There is no plan on record. Answers should have been there before the commissioning of the Mopa Airport. In the present situation, with no proper roadmap, two airports wouldn’t be viable for Goa,” he said. 

Gomes further added that air travel for five minutes from Mopa to Dabolim the cost impact on the airlines will be huge. No airline will operate at two airports at the same time. The connectivity, the auxiliary services if some airlines only fly to Dabolim or only to Mopa is also questionable at present. 

“What I feel is that the moment they see that both airports are not viable for operation they will automatically abandon operations at Dabolim and allow Navy to take it over and subsequently discontinue civilian airport enclave,” Gomes cautioned.

Dixon Vaz, Vice President of Small and Medium Hoteliers’ Association said, “Political statements won’t help tourism in South Goa. With the commissioning of Mopa Airport we are staring at a tourism famine in South Goa. The government won’t have much to say as far as the international airlines are concerned. Already so many tourists have started cancelling reservations at hotels in South Goa and the worst is yet to come,” he warned. 

“In absence of a synergy between all the tourism stakeholders like hotels, tour operators and taxis, the slow death of Dabolim is inevitable,” said Vaz, who is also Cavelossim Sarpanch. 

Abhijit Prabhudesai, who worked as chief electrical engineer at Dubai International Airport said, “This is a death knell for the tourism industry and an end to international tourism in the State. International tourism is a very sensitive sector. Mopa Airport will require a higher handling cost as it is a private airport,” said Prabhudesai, an activist and a member of Goans For Dabolim Only. 

“We have been saying that Mopa is the biggest land scam in the history of India. Government had conducted a study through ADPI and ICAO in 2005 and 2007 on dual airports. The study had stated that dual airports are not recommended for Goa,” recalled Prabhudesai. 

“It is a private airport and there is no compulsion on employing locals. Ultimately, no local will end up getting a job as almost 10,000 persons, who were dependent on agriculture, lost their livelihood,” Prabhudesai said.