PANAJI
Days after a deadly fire tore through the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, a tragedy that raised fresh questions about safety and regulation in Goa’s nightlife belt, the State’s tourism industry is presenting a counter-intuitive picture: visitors are still coming.
At a time when Goa Tourism is dealing with long-standing and emerging challenges -- high airfares, taxi turf wars, harassment of tourists by taxi operators, visa delays, and recent airline disruptions (now partly resolved) -- the Arpora nightclub fire has, for the moment, not led to cancellations or a drop in tourist arrivals.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte had urged people not to view Goa negatively after the Birch tragedy, saying the State remains safe and welcoming for tourists.
“Goa should not be painted in a negative light because of one tragic incident,” Khaunte was quoted as saying at a press conference with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant this week, asserting that the coastal State remains safe, welcoming and committed to visitor security. He expressed confidence that Goa would recover from the shock of the tragedy without suffering a reputational collapse.
Industry stakeholders, taking a cautious and practical view, largely agree. “There is no impact as of now,” President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) Jack Sukhija told The Goan when asked whether the Birch fire had altered tourist inflows.
The TTAG and other stakeholders had, a week earlier, acknowledged that IndiGo’s airline-related issues had affected inbound travel at a time when Goa is preparing for peak season.
That assessment is echoed by operators on the ground who deal less in perceptions and more in bookings. Ahraz Mulla, who leads the Goa Adventure Club, said demand from corporate travellers, conference groups and wedding parties has been steady. “Practically speaking, there is no impact owing to the fire,” he said, reiterating, “No effect.”
His agency, which also arranges trips outside Goa and abroad, continues to receive requests linked to nightlife. When clients ask for club visits, he said, vehicles are arranged for night travel in the coastal belt.
“Clubbing could be an issue for some after the crackdown following the Arpora tragedy, but Goa still has an endless number of options. It depends on the demand. If there is a requirement, we provide transport. We are getting these demands,” he explained.
There have been no cancellations, he added, and occupancy in five-star properties remains close to full.
Others in the industry, while agreeing that the Birch fire has not spooked tourists, point to deeper, more structural concerns affecting arrivals.
Shifa Shaikh, proprietor of Global Tourist Centre, said December had fallen short of expectations, particularly in South Goa. “North Goa has tourists, but comparatively fewer,” she said. The reason, she argued, has little to do with nightclub safety and far more to do with visas.
Russian tourists, traditionally a strong winter market, are facing prolonged delays, she said. “Earlier, visas took three to four working days. Now even after 15 to 20 days, they are not getting visas,” she pointed to cumbersome arrival procedures, long queues and the absence of special assistance as deterrents. “Hotel bookings are dropping. This decline has been visible since November,” she said, adding that on interaction with some of her clients, they have been looking at other destinations.
Still, she was unequivocal on one point: “There is no impact owing to the Birch fire. The other issues around tourism have been going on for a long time.”
Nadeem Sheikh of Raat Rani Tours & Travel, which also handles domestic and international clients, reported business as usual. “There are no cancellations,” he said adding, “We are still getting bookings for Goa, along with other destinations.”
However, shack operators, if not all, offer a different view, saying beach footfalls have declined. “Such incidents do have an impact. We are hardly seeing tourists on the beaches,” President of the Goan Traditional Shack Owners Association Manuel Cardozo said. He said viral videos of the fire had made visitors think twice about travelling to Goa, while also highlighting illegal operations and government laxity. He further slammed that shack operators are now bearing the brunt of official action.
