PANAJI
The tourism industry and allied businesses are hoping for a reversal of fortunes with the government announcing that some crucial attractions like casinos, river cruises and nightclubs can open up from Monday and are awaiting a gradual rise in footfalls of visitors to the State.
A day after Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that casinos, river cruises, spas, nightclubs and such other commercial operations will be permitted to open on Monday, Goa’s Revenue Secretary Sanjay Kumar, IAS, issued a detailed order permitting these activities with certain restrictions including curtailing capacity to 50 per-cent and permitting only fully vaccinated clientele and staff.
Casinos are being permitted to operate only at 50 per-cent capacity with adherence to all Covid safety protocols, including the use of masks, sanitisers and thermal screening. Also, guests and staffs have to be compulsorily fully vaccinated or possess an RT-PCR negative report which is not more than 72-hours old, according to Kumar’s order.
These conditions are also applicable to the river cruises, water parks and entertainment parks, again restricted to operate beyond 50 per-cent of their seating capacity.
The 50 per-cent capacity restrictions are also imposed on cinema halls, auditoriums and such other venues.
Kumar’s order also permits schools to open but leaves it to the Education Department to issue separate and specific SOPs for the educational institutions.
On schools opening, Kumar’s order states: “Schools to open subject to separate SOPs to be issued in this behalf by the Education Department.”
Curfew in Goa was first imposed on May 9, in the wake of the devastating impact including large number of deaths due to the surge of Covid-19 infections when the second wave peaked. Subsequently, restrictions were eased in certain sectors as the weekly curfew was subsequently extended on multiple occasions.
Monday’s order, however, is by far the most comprehensive lifting of restrictions although the administration has linked it to permitting only those who are fully vaccinated or hold RT-PCR negative test reports done not more than 72 hours earlier.
The tourism industry meanwhile is hopeful that the latest announcement will gradually bring in some normalcy and ensure the lowest denominator in the industry, including musicians, artistes, taxi operators and sundry will begin to earn their livelihoods again.
Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) president Nilesh Shah said, although the industry including hotels and restaurants were already open, tourism had not really picked up as there was no firm messaging from the government that visitors are welcome to Goa.
Now, that announcement has been made and hopefully footfalls will begin to rise, he added.
Shah, however, said the next important step essential for the industry will be granting visas for international travellers and also a firm decision on permitting charter flights.
“The Union Tourism Minister G Kishan Reddy will be in Goa on Monday and we will meet him to impress upon him the urgency for a decision on the charter flights,” Shah said adding that an early decision by the Centre could help the State beat competition.
