PANJIM:
The Travel & Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) has urged Tourism Minister
Manohar ‘Babu’ Azgaonkar to resolve the controversy over exorbitant taxi fares
and the uniforms for cabbies at Dabolim airport. The representatives suggested
that Goa government introduce ‘local app’ based taxi service on lines with Ola
and Uber cab service operating in major cities across the country.
“We
understand that there is huge opposition to the entry of app-based cab service
in Goa. If that is so, then the local tourist taxi operators should adopt to a
similar way of operating their business wherein the tourists are not subjected
to any inconvenience or go back with bad memories,” said one of the attendees,
emerging from the meeting with the minister and other tourism officials at
Paryatan Bhavan on Tuesday.
The
State has earned bad name in the wake of increasing rise in passenger
complaints against the tourist taxi operators for overcharging,
rudeness and not taking direct routes to certain destinations. Raining
complaints on the social media from visitors, who go back with not-so-good
memories owing to the ‘fare loot’, had raised concern among the stakeholders
whether Goa government is really serious about shedding the bad image.
Azgaonkar
had earlier hinted at bringing the Ola and Uber cab service to Goa as he
appealed the local taxi operators to take up online cabbie service as a
challenge. However, Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) Chairman Nilesh
Cabral had countered any such attempt while proposing to develop its own app to
provide taxi services to visitors and residents of Goa. “GTDC will develop its
own app and taxis can be booked through the app. We are not considering
bringing Ola and Uber to Goa,” he had said.
At
the meeting on Tuesday, the tourism minister was also suggested that an app
company should strike a deal with the local cabbies and convince that their
employment would not be at stake. “The app company can have a dialogue with the
local taxi operators and make them understand to operate on lines with Ola and
Uber. Given that competition is accepted worldwide, we can improve our
services. It is for the betterment of tourism as this will also convince
tourists that they are not being looted,” the official told Herald.
The
department was also urged to implement digital meters and increase the bus
service from Dabolim airport to Calangute and vice versa. The bus service,
sources said, has evoked good response from the tourists as the ‘tariff per
passenger is affordable and the trip is hassle-free.’
“The
minister has assured of solutions to the problems concerning tourism,”
he said. The TTAG delegation led by immediate past president Francisco
Braganca also had its vice presidents Ernest Dias and Ramnath Babu Quenim,
secretary Guitry Velho and executive member Nilesh Shah at the meeting.
Expediting
the process to appoint a competent and professional beach cleaning contractors,
need for expeditious completion of Master Plan and Tourism Policy to
facilitate effective implementation of various tourism plans,
projects and policies were also urged during the meeting.
Azgaonkar
has sought the cooperation of the TTAG in making Goa
a premium tourism destination. “The TTAG assured full support and
cooperation to the government while implementing its plans and
proposals for improving the tourism
and hospitality industry in Goa. Being a leading tourism
destination, the TTAG appealed him to find amicable
solution and settlement to the mentioned issues in the interest of Goa
Tourism and its stakeholders,” the official said.
