MARGAO
Oman Air’s announcement of starting operations from the new international Mopa airport has caused anxiety and concern amongst the tourism stakeholders along Saxtti coastal belt.
While nothing has been heard from Saxtti politicos and those from down South Goa on the airport issue against the backdrop of the agitation to save Dabolim in South district around a decade and a half ago, tourism stakeholders said the writing on the wall is now clear that the days of the Dabolim airport are now numbered, with Oman Air opting for Mopa with its operations from the new year.
Tourism stakeholders preferred to keep their fingers crossed over the very future of tourism in South Goa in the absence of Dabolim. While others say that South Goa, especially Salcete’s coastal belt can still face the challenge of a share of the tourism cake if all the stakeholders jointly promote South as a family tourism destination.
Depending on the charter flights for sustenance, smaller hoteliers say charters operating from Mopa may not ring in good news for the hoteliers. Immediate Past President of the Smaller Hoteliers Association Serafino Cota said the writing on the wall is now clear that Dabolim will head for closure one fine day. He said there’s a golden rule in international tourism that any tourist disembarking from a charter flight should be lodged in a hotel within an hour. “Hotels in down South, Canacona was not getting the charter tourists for the simple reason that one cannot reach the taluka in an hour time from Dabolim airport. Hence, the charter tourists were being lodged in hotels located within an hour’s travel from the airport.”
Serafino added: “If the charter flights land at Mopa, I do not think charter tourists can check in any hotel down South in an hour time after disembarking at the airport. Hence, smaller hoteliers dotting along the South Goa coastal belt may become the first casualty of the Mopa airport.”
Another small hotelier and vice-president of the Small Hoteliers Association, Dixon Vaz said the announcement by Oman Air was on expected lines. He said the tourism stakeholders are not at all surprised over the unfolding development vis-à-vis the Dabolim and Mopa airports. “Our politicians may have handed out umpteen promises that Dabolim will not be closed. But, the writing on the wall is clear. The international airlines and charter flights do not go by what the local politicians say and want,” he said.
Dixon, who also heads the tourist village of Cavelossim as its newly-elected sarpanch, however, said that the tourism stakeholders should join hands and unitedly face the emerging challenges. “I feel everything may not be over for the stakeholders from down South if we unitedly market South Goa tourism. South Goa enjoys certain advantages over North Goa. South Goa beach belt is free from drugs and is patronised as a family tourism destination,” Dixon said.
The shack owners operating from Salcete coastal belt also preferred to keep their fingers crossed over what lies in store for them in the future when Mopa international airport is commissioned and international and charter flights land at Mopa. He, however, said that the Goa government has a big role to play in averting a crisis-like situation for the stakeholders. “The government should go all out to promote Goa as the destination so that the tourists after disembarking at Mopa do not cross the border and head to the Sindhudurg beach belt,” he said.
Cruz added: “We must not forget that the shack business is also dependent on the large Indian clientele. If South Goa gets the regular Indian tourists, and a share of the charter tourists, because of our hospitality that is second to one, I think we will be able to face the emerging situation.”
