MARGAO: Minister for tourism Rohan Khaunte said that a master plan will soon be prepared for the development of Canacona constituency from the point of view of tourism. Introduction of air-conditioned bus service by Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) from Panaji to Canacona for 'Canacona darshan' and development of various spots into places of tourist attraction are among the proposals that were discussed by Khaunte with speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar during the former's two-day tour of the constituency. Addressing reporters, Khaunte said that to provide a fillip to tourism activities in Canacona, the master plan will be divided into three categories - short-term goals, mid-term goals and long-term measures. While all infrastructure development works to be taken up under state government funds will be classified under short-term goals, financial assistance for the other two categories will be sought under the central government scheme, Prime Minister's Swadesh Darshan. Stating that some people are trying to misguide people over Mopa and Dabolim airports, Khaunte said that the government has maintained that no airport will be closed in Goa. He said that the government was committed for development of both South Goa and North Goa, equally, to improve the state's economy. "We plan to create a whole circuit with agro-tourism, wellness tourism, water sports, spiritual tourism, adventure tourism and eco-tourism. We will ensure one central package happens for Canacona and Sanguem talukas," Khaunte added. Stating that the nature of tourism has changed post-Covid with expectations of tourists changing with time, Khaunte stressed on the need for a course correction to maintain the most preferred tourist destination tag. "We are making Canacona a preferred destination among most preferred tourist destinations in Goa. We have identified new avenues such as eagle feeding, beach-coves, butterfly beach and honeymoon beach. We will ensure that water sports follow regulations and illegalities are curbed," the tourism minister said.
Margao: Minister for tourism Rohan Khaunte said that a master plan will soon be prepared for the development of Canacona constituency from the point of view of tourism.Introduction of air-conditioned bus service by Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) from Panaji to Canacona for ‘Canacona darshan’ and development of various spots into places of tourist attraction are among the proposals that were discussed by Khaunte with speaker and Canacona MLA Ramesh Tawadkar during the former’s two-day tour of the constituency.Addressing reporters, Khaunte said that to provide a fillip to tourism activities in Canacona, the master plan will be divided into three categories – short-term goals, mid-term goals and long-term measures. While all infrastructure development works to be taken up under state government funds will be classified under short-term goals, financial assistance for the other two categories will be sought under the central government scheme, Prime Minister’s Swadesh Darshan.Stating that some people are trying to misguide people over Mopa and Dabolim airports, Khaunte said that the government has maintained that no airport will be closed in Goa. He said that the government was committed for development of both South Goa and North Goa, equally, to improve the state’s economy.“We plan to create a whole circuit with agro-tourism, wellness tourism, water sports, spiritual tourism, adventure tourism and eco-tourism. We will ensure one central package happens for Canacona and Sanguem talukas,” Khaunte added.Stating that the nature of tourism has changed post-Covid with expectations of tourists changing with time, Khaunte stressed on the need for a course correction to maintain the most preferred tourist destination tag.“We are making Canacona a preferred destination among most preferred tourist destinations in Goa. We have identified new avenues such as eagle feeding, beach-coves, butterfly beach and honeymoon beach. We will ensure that water sports follow regulations and illegalities are curbed,” the tourism minister said.
PANAJI: Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte on Thursday clarified that his ministry has no intent to corporatise the water sports activities, and the profession which has been with Goan operators will remain with them. “Water sports will remain in the hands of Goans. We are only streamlining the system. There is no mention of corporate in the draft,” Khaunte told reporters as he explained the motive for having a jetty policy and the purpose of reducing the number of documents required to be submitted by an entity while registering with the department. Any activity linked to tourism has to be registered with the tourism department. Recently, the department reduced the documents required to be obtained from it during registration. Ever since the draft jetty policy was released, the department has come under fire, with some alleging that the government has a hidden agenda behind the move. Addressing the media along with tourism director Nikhil Desai, Khaunte said the main purpose was to remove illegalities in the water sports activities, and to stop illegal guides and touts who have become the main beneficiary of the water sports activities. Pointing out to the illegal operation of boat rides with pick-ups happening close to a starred hotel at Campal, Khaunte said no action has been taken despite bringing it to the notice of the police department. “We have not given them permission to operate, and yet they conduct their activities,” said Khaunte. The minister said that his department wants to put things in order so that tourists are not cheated, and appealed to stakeholders not to get misled by those who have been making allegations ever since the government unveiled its plan. The jetty policy has been proposed only to weed out illegal operators and to ensure tourists are offered quality and secured service, he said. By having a jetty policy, the department plans to regulate the services offered at jetties which are in its domain. It feels removal of unregulated and illegal operators will plug revenue leakages. The tourism minister also stated that they will discuss the issue with stakeholders before finalising the jetty policy.
Margao: Taking up cudgels for water sports operators of South Goa, GFP chief Vijai Sardesai on Monday said that his party will oppose any moves by the government to bring in “anti-local policies that will snatch all water sports activities from their hands and offer them to big corporates”.“We are being vocal for local. Water sports is a local business and should remain with locals, not with outsider lobbies,” Sardesai told reporters after a delegation of South Goa water sports association called on him with their grievances. Sardesai said that the water sports operators were apprehensive that the government intends to hand over the water sports business to corporates, thereby snatching their livelihoods, by bringing in jetty policy and in the name of ease of doing business. “The government wants the water sports operators to sign an undertaking that they will abide by the rules formed by the government governing water sports. They have decided to sign the undertaking but with a clause that the agreement be without prejudice to their rights and contentions,” Sardesai said. The Fatorda MLA also demanded that water sports in South Goa resume at the earliest as such activities have already begun on the North Goa beaches.However, he said that water sports operators were willing to cooperate with the government in so far as bringing in regulations concerning safety aspects or with regards to maintaining a queue system.“But in the guise of making a queue system, you can’t allow (corporates) to take over the business. This goes against the fundamental right of the local water sports operators to do business,” Sardesai said.He urged the government, particularly the tourism department, to take all stakeholders into confidence before finalising the new tourism policy.
Panaji: Promising a shift from enforcement to facilitation, tourism minister Rohan Khaunte on Sunday said that online approval and registration services for the tourism industry will be rolled out within a week. Khaunte, who was speaking at a Travel and Tourist Association of Goa (TTAG) event, said that Goa needs to focus on a long-term strategy to attract high spending tourists. “Businessmen should focus more on their business and spend less time on paperwork and visiting government offices. This week we will introduce and launch online services for registration and renewal of permissions for all types of hotels, guest houses, water sports and other services,” Khaunte said. He also said that he has directed department officials to “trust the Goemkar” and ensure that documentation and verification checks are kept to the minimum with e-sign documents being requested. “We need to be more of facilitators and as a thought, as we bring these things online, I have told the department to work with the tagline trust the Goemkar. There has been a trust deficit in the government with the paperwork coming in and when we give permissions the department checks the genuineness of the papers,” Khaunte said. Reiterating his earlier point that Goa needs to focus on quality tourists instead of numbers, he said that a five to 10-year plan needs to be put in place to brand Goa as a premium tourist destination. “We need to get the right type of tourists, high-spending tourists here. If we put together a plan of five to 10 years, we will start generating quality tourists. When we talk about quality tourists, we are talking about looking at quality seriously and we need to build it up. It is not a game that will be played for two or three days,” Khaunte said. TTAG president Nilesh Shah, who spoke earlier, said that Goa needs to focus on brand building and digital marketing, which targets high-spending tourists. However, Shah warned that the current spate of crimes against women and fraud could spoil Goa’s reputation. He also said that touts, drugs and prostitution will ruin Goa’s reputation as a family destination. “There should be no compromise on law enforcement and strict action must be taken when dealing with such situations to send a message that Goa is safe,” Shah said.
Panaji: Fast-tracking revival of tourism industry in the state after the pandemic, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Sunday said that registration of tourism activities at the department will be made online soon. Khaunte said that all activities related to tourism in the state will go online to facilitate ease of doing business to stakeholders.Khaunte was speaking at a late evening function organised for the 34thinstallation of the president and managing committee of the Travel & Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) at Dona Paula.“EoDB (ease of doing business) is crucial. Business people should focus on business. All renewals will be online. End to end support will be provided and there will be no harassment to stakeholder,” promised Khaunte. With hotels in the state facing shortage of skilled staff, the minister added that skilling and support will be provided to local youth to make them employable.The function saw the induction of the new managing committee with Nilesh Shah.Khaunte was the chief guest on the occasion, while the guest of honour was Puneet Goel, Chief Secretary and Ravi Dhawan, Secretary Tourism special guest.A five year term for excise licence, 50% reduction in fees for C & D category hotels, deferred electricity payments, and extension of panchayat fees, were some of the achievements of TTAG during the year 2021-22.Ganesh Gaonkar, chairman of GTDC, Ralph De Souza, president of GCCI, Menino D’Souza, director of Tourism Department, Rajan Satardekar, director of transport department, Gagan Malik, director of Goa Airport, officials of GTDC and the department of tourism were present.
