ABEL BARRETTO
anacona, whose economy is driven by the hospitality sector on the coastal belt of the taluka, has been hit hard due to the all-pervasive economic slowdown together with other factors.
With domestic and foreign tourists arrivals dropping by more than 50 per cent during the month of November and half of December, the accommodation providers and restaurateurs on the beaches in the taluka stare at empty rooms and tables as occupancy rates having fallen by more than 50 per cent over last year.
Being a coastal taluka, Canacona is home to some exotic beaches and foreign and domestic tourists flock to this beautiful beaches for sun, sand and surf apart from other adventure events.
While Agonda has the distinction of being awarded the best beach in Asia, Palolem, Patnem, Rajbagh, Talpona, Galgibaga and Polem are not far behind as far as the natural beauty and white sands are concerned and has seen thousands of visitors since last so many years, which inturn mainly drives the economy of the taluka.
Most of the residents living close to these beaches are directly or indirectly involved in some sort of business and are getting economically benefited since the time tourism started booming in this taluka some twenty years back.
The collapse of Thomas Cook UK after being in business for 178 years is considered as a major setback for the tourism industry in Goa as English tourists form a major portion of the foreign tourists visiting Goa.
The post monsoon rains till November in Canacona have made the matters worse as the locals who put up the shacks and rooms during the months of October-November found it tough to set them up in time for the season.
The news of the demolition drives undertaken by the authorities at Agonda, has also to a great extent dented the image of the beaches in Canacona as the videos of the earthmoving machinery razing the structures at Agonda beach were shared widely on the social media across the border.
After watching this destruction, some of the foreign tourists, who have been visiting Canacona for the last many years were unsure if accommodation would be available and so at the last minute, they changed their destination to either Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka or other tropical countries in Asia.
Dayanand Pagi ,who represents Palolem as a councilor speaking to Herald expressed his apprehension over the present state of arrivals of tourists in Canacona.
“Canacona without any other earning avenues is fully dependent on tourism and the present situation doesn’t augur well as no one is excepting a miracle in weeks to come leading to new year” expressed Pagi with anxiety.
Sources added that after the demolition drives at Agonda the tourism operators there are not in any hurry to build temporary structures till they get required permissions from the authorities concerned, which has led to the worst-ever footfalls on the beach.
Most of the accommodation providers at other beaches including Palolem and Patnem have reduced their fares by more than 50 per cent and are still struggling to get even 50 per cent occupancy.
A hotelier at Palolem beach, speaking about the overall scenario, said, “Along with many others, we have slashed the room rates but even after doing this, we are not even getting 50 per cent occupancy, which never happened in the last 10 years,” he said.
“During Christmas and the New Year fortnight, we used to sell our rooms at a premium but this year even after bringing the rates down, no one is interested” he said.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed as we have huge debts to repay to our suppliers as well as landlords in whose properties we run our businesses” said another distressed tourism operator.
Meanwhile Agonda residents who are renting bikes to tourists approached Canacona MLA and deputy speaker Isidore Fernandes on Friday complaining against traffic police for meting out harrassment to tourists who are renting their bikes, following which Fernandes spoke to the Canacona traffic cell in-charge about the issue.
