Dear Fredrick Noronha, I would like to read the entire report. Can you kindly mail the report. Thanking you, Renji George, Dept. Of Economics, Govt.College, Quepem. --- Goanet Reader <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Goa study says tourism's adverse impact deserves > "urgent attention" > > FN > > Tourism, the much vaunted sector in the Goan > economy, is > causing an "adverse impact" in various sectors in > this small > state, says a research project sponsored by the > Confederation > of Indian Industry. > > Undertaken by the Goa Institute of Management, a > prominent > management training institution here, the > CII-sponsored study > calls for taking "cognisance" of these issues. > > It says some "current problems" that deserve urgent > attention > include the large-scale growth of tourism leading to > increased pressure "on both society and the > environment". > > "Preserving the national heritage and reducing > environmental > degradation become crucial issues for concern. There > is a > need to examine the 'carrying capacity' of the > state," argues > the 116-page study just released here. > > This study looks at a range of issues -- > agriculture, mining, > Goa's growing pharma sector, its SME (small and > medium > enterprise) sector, the controversy-stricken plans > for > promoting SEZs (special economic zones) here, > services, > fiscal issues, and more. > > But its critique of issues emerging from tourism are > fairly > strong. It points out that Goa's economy is > "confronted" by a > solid waste management problem. > > It adds: "So far, enough effort has not been made to > ensure > proper solid waste management. Again, absence of > efficient > public transport has increased the growth of > motorbikes and > cars substantially. This, in turn, has aggravated > environmental pollution." > > It points to the migration of unskilled labour from > neighbouring states "on account of the > non-availability of > unskilled workers" in Goa itself. > > Other issues it points to: disputes over land use > (between > small entrepreneurs and large corporates); the > dependence on > other states for agricultural produce consumed in > Goa; > failure to ensure uninterrupted power; and need for > improving > water supply (both quantity and quality). > > Significantly, it said a "strong positive > co-relation" does > not seem to exist between tourism growth, especially > the > hotel industry, and employment for locals. It cited > a study > which said 80% of workforce employed in hotels are > not > "residents of Goa". > > "This can be partly on account of of high wage rates > prevailing in Goa, as compared to other > under-developed > States, and therefore managers prefer to hire > workers from > other states," says the study. > > It points to the expensive private transport > prevailing in > Goa "in the absence of adequate public transport". > Taxi > operators were working in "monopoly power" and > passengers > were victimised because of the North Goa-South Goa > taxi > owners' dispute. > > "Growth of tourism might have adversely affected the > poor and > downtrodden, especially during the peak season, when > prices > usually go up substantially. A proper assessment > needs to be > done," says the study. > > It blames the tourism sector for becoming a > "breeding ground > of touts and commission agents", which jacks up > hotel tariff > and transport costs. There's also an absence of > proper > regulatory mechanism to check the price rise, it > admits. > > Says the study: "Wide disparity in prices charged > during the > peak and off-peak season for various services and > between the > private and publicity authority needs to be > examined.The > asymmetry of information needs to be abolished. The > economy > cannot afford to victimise the tourist by the > private sector. > There is a need for a proper regulatory mechanism to > ensure > the prevalence of a stable price." > > It notes that Goa lacks budget hotels. Citing a > figure, it > says Goa's tourism department provides "around 600 > beds per > day at an affordable price". But this, it suggests, > is > insufficient, specially in season. > > Ironically, one of the most biting truths to emerge > here is > the limited role of the Goa government -- despite > all the > bombast -- in promoting tourism. > > Says the study: "So far, the Government of Goa did > not > participate actively in promoting tourism, except > marketing > officially abroad in some fairs. The investment made > by the > government under the tourism sector are mainly to > support > government tourism establishments, to attend > festival > programmes, and the like. (*****) > _______________________________________________ > Goanet-news mailing list > [email protected] > http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-news-goanet.org > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com
