Goa stares at bleak tourist season
8 Aug 2008, 0513 hrs IST, Alexandre Moniz Barbosa,TNN
PANAJI: Falling tourism arrivals, a cut in the number of flights and
rising fuel costs form the backdrop for the Goa Tourism Meet 2008,
slated for Friday. And the stake holders, worried that tourism could
hit a low next season, will be discussing means to sustain the
industry at the meet.
We are facing a recession and the next season is not looking too
good. Keeping this in mind, we have a session that will be a warning
to the trade as well as an eye opener to the government to the
situation, says Ralph de Souza, president of the Travel and Tourism
Association of Goa as well as Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry's
tourism head.
This particular session will be addressed by Nick Israel, general
manager of Fort Aguada, and moderated by Lenny Menezes of the Hilton
group, who is flying in especially and is expected to put across a few
hard facts to the audience.
Tourism, the mainstay of the Goan economy, contributes some Rs 1,500
crore annually to the government exchequer. But the immediate future
doesn't appear rosy.
The next season for Goa looks very bleak. I've just returned from the
UK and the market for Goa seems very bleak. This is going to be a
testing time for the industry, says former TTAG president and chief
executive of Alfran group of hotels Charles Bonifacio.
The early effects of the economic recession has already been felt in
the state. This maybe the off season for Goa, a time when tourism is
at an ebb, but this year the with corporate bookings down 15% to 20%,
figures which hold good for room occupancy too, the tourism industry
is apprehensive.
If you want high spending tourists, upgrade. We have to upgrade
facilities, right from the airport, to expansion of the cruise jetty
in Panaji and to the creation of a cultural centre that will display
the culture of Goa to the tourists, says U D Kamat, who headed the
directorate of tourism for many years.
Bonifacio concurs and says, Nothing is being ploughed back in
improving the infrastructure. The government should boost tourism.
Upgrade is what the industry too wants, and following the meet, a
report with recommendations will be presented to the government to
plan the future course of action.
We want to diversify. This meet will reveal the line, we in the
industry want tourism in Goa to take, says de Souza. And what the
industry has in mind is environment friendly tourism and the promotion
of heritage tourism.
Diversify, is the new mantra that tourism will be singing on Friday,
at a time when the tourism industry needs a desperate boost to survive
competition.
