MARGAO
Ahead of the new tourism season, shack owners under the banner of Shack Owners Welfare Society has knocked the doors of the government to waive off the collection of tourism license and other fees for shacks, sun beds, including excise fees for the year 2021-22.
The Society has also requested the government to issue licenses to the shack owners in the month of September for putting up beach shacks without any delay.
In a petition submitted to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, Tourism Minister & Dy CM Manohar Ajgaonkar and others, Shack Owners Society President Cruz Cardozo said it is imperative that Goa must soon come out of the virus infection fear to create confidence in the minds of travellers that Goa is a safe destination.
He, however, said there may be a silver lining in the present scenario and it offers an opportunity to improve the quality of tourism. “Several countries which are tourist destinations may not be able to catch up and it is we who have to take advantage of the situation by offering the tourist a clean environment. A good percentage of tourists may then shift to Goa if the state is seen as a clean and good destination”, the petition added.
Saying that the owners were allotted shacks for a three year period ending in May, 2022, the petition said the owners have completed two years of the allotment, but pointed out that the shacks were allotted only in November during the last two tourism seasons.
“As a result of Covid and the consequent lockdown, the shacks could operate only from end of November to February, 2020 and 2021 respectively. Normally, the workers most of whom are outstation start leaving for the home stateswhich could not be done last season due to the lockdown. We were therefore also burdened with providing accommodation and food to them. We therefore have not made any profits for the last season and are at a lost”, the petition pointed out.
Saying present indications suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic may not disappear so soonand the restrictions imposed on travel may continue for a long period of time, the society said it is difficult to hazard a guess on what could be the tourism trend in the coming season but the prospects definitely are dimmed. “Even if the situation on the Covid front improves, the economic down tum will make tourism the first casualty.However it is hoped with the positives efforts being put in by the govt. both at the state and central level, we hope for positive results and that the winds of misfortune that are effecting all aspects of life will soon blow away”, the petition added.
