PANAJI
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has assured the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) that the issue of inadequate number of landing slots for charter flights at Dabolim Airport will be sorted out.
The TTAG met Parrikar on Wednesday to discuss the most pressing issue of the ongoing tourism season.
Savio Messias, President, TTAG, said, "Our meeting with the CM was very fruitful. He has assured us that this issue will be sorted out for the season. CM has also fixed a meeting between charter operators, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Navy on October 5 to discuss the issue."
Messias further informed that the CM has instructed Dabolim MLA and Panchayat Minister, Mauvin Godinho and GTDC Chairman, Nilesh Cabral, to also attend this meeting.
After Parrikar's assurance, TTAG is hoping that adequate number of landing slots will be allotted to charter flights. As of now, a high number of charter flights have not been allotted landing slots.
Last week, a British charter flight had also threatened to pull out of Goa altogether, if slot wasn't allotted to it. Earlier, tour operators had said that charter flights are indispensable for Goa because these flights bring foreign tourists directly to the state every year.
In the absence of these flights, tourists will have to travel to Mumbai or Bangalore first to come to Goa later, which is an expensive option and therefore not advisable.
Earlier, it was also reported that the Navy had closed the aiport for charter flights on Saturday and Sunday, which had made things very difficult for these flights. Moreover, charters were also not getting permission to land at the airport at 8.30 am and take off at 12.30 pm on weekdays.
These issues will be discussed at the meet between Navy, AAI and charter operators on October 5.
Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar has assured the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) that the issue of inadequate number of landing slots for charter flights at Dabolim Airport will be sorted out.
The TTAG met Parrikar on Wednesday to discuss the most pressing issue of the ongoing tourism season.
Savio Messias, President, TTAG, said, "Our meeting with the CM was very fruitful. He has assured us that this issue will be sorted out for the season. CM has also fixed a meeting between charter operators, the Airports Authority of India (AAI) and Navy on October 5 to discuss the issue."
Messias further informed that the CM has instructed Dabolim MLA and Panchayat Minister, Mauvin Godinho and GTDC Chairman, Nilesh Cabral, to also attend this meeting.
After Parrikar's assurance, TTAG is hoping that adequate number of landing slots will be allotted to charter flights. As of now, a high number of charter flights have not been allotted landing slots.
Last week, a British charter flight had also threatened to pull out of Goa altogether, if slot wasn't allotted to it. Earlier, tour operators had said that charter flights are indispensable for Goa because these flights bring foreign tourists directly to the state every year.
In the absence of these flights, tourists will have to travel to Mumbai or Bangalore first to come to Goa later, which is an expensive option and therefore not advisable.
Earlier, it was also reported that the Navy had closed the aiport for charter flights on Saturday and Sunday, which had made things very difficult for these flights. Moreover, charters were also not getting permission to land at the airport at 8.30 am and take off at 12.30 pm on weekdays.
These issues will be discussed at the meet between Navy, AAI and charter operators on October 5.
