Team Herald
PANJIM: Despite a disappointing response from international visitors, the tourism industry is optimistic that domestic tourists will throng the beaches to beat the heat as the tourist season approaches its end. However, soaring air fares for last minute ticket-seekers and overcharging by stakeholders could dampen the spirit.
With the State government stressing on Goa as a 365-day family tourism and honeymoon destination, tourism officials expect to see a number of newly married couples and families on the beaches of Goa in the coming weeks.
“As we approach the summer, the number of domestic tourists nearly doubles to the number in the beginning of the tourist season,” a tourism official told Herald. This could cheer the industry, as Indian tourists are known to spend more on food and shopping than foreign nationals. The beach shacks, the official said, has Indians ordering more food and beverages in an hour than the foreigners who sit for hours on one or two bottles of liquor.
But, increasing travelling costs could keep tourists away. The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) is keeping its fingers crossed hoping the expensive air or inter-state bus tariffs don’t play spoilsport. “A short distance air travel is nothing less than Rs 12-16,000. This deters people from coming to Goa despite long weekend holidays but we hope that April-May see a good number of Indian tourists,” TTAG’s former President and present spokesperson Raph D’Souza told Herald.
He added that vacationers who have already planned their trip to Goa have kept the State buzzing. “The season is just starting. It is a different start this year but we are expecting to catch up,” he added.
Tourism Department is pinned its hopes on activities on and off the beaches to attract tourists. “Goa is one of the most desired holiday destinations as activities on and off the coastline is adding attraction to vacation packages. Another advantage is that Goa’s summer and humidity is relatively better than other states where heat waves are a common phenomenon,” Director Sanjeev Gauns Dessai said.
The recently introduced hot air balloon rides and helicopter joy rides, in addition to trekking and camping in the interiors is making Goa a hotspot this summer, but overcharging could send tourists home with a sour experience.
Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) has slammed successive governments for failing to crackdown on stakeholders like taxis, hotels, etc for overcharging. GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral has demanded that the government formulate a policy where local businessmen benefit but it does not pinch the pockets of the tourists.
