VASCO
The statewide strike by tourist taxi operators for the second day had little impact on hundreds of passengers and crew on the luxury cruise liner MV Celebrity Constellation which arrived at Mormugao Port on Saturday, as KTC and GTDC buses made special arrangements to take them on tours across the State.
The MV Celebrity Constellation from Mumbai with 2,004 high-end guests and a crew of 940 on board made its fourth voyage to Mormugao Port and is the 13th cruise liner during the current cruise tourism season, states an MPT media press note.
The visitors received a rousing welcome at the cruise terminal with a display of Goan culture, music and foklore organised by the Goa Tourism Development Corporation.
The high-end guests arriving by the cruise liner hailed from Germany (684), Canada (367), USA (366), France (115), Australia (89) and other nationalities. The visitors later went on shore for a sight-seeing tour of Goa’s famous locations.
“Nearly 500 guests utilized the KTC coaches that were made available at the cruise terminal for the use of the guests to ferry them to visit the heritage monuments at Old Goa and the temples in and around Ponda,” stated MPT.
“Despite the call given for strike by tourist taxi operators for the second successive day, all the local excursions in and around the state were handled smoothly by luxury AC coaches organized by the local tour operators as well as other luxury mini coaches arranged by the GTDC. The arrangements of mini coaches by GTDC to ferry the passengers lent additional support to the local tour operators.”
“The guests arriving by the cruise liner did not face any sort of inconvenience for travel within the state and it was business as usual. All the guests visiting Goa had a pleasant tour experience and returned with happy memories,” the MPT added.
When contacted, MPT Sr Dy Traffic Manager Jerome Clement thanked the government, GTDC, KTC and the tour operator Travelsmith India, for successfully making arrangements for the tour by cruise tourists.
“However, it was a disappointment for a few who had decided to roam around on their own. For the other passengers , KTC Volvo buses took them to Panjim, Miramar, Old Goa and Mangueshi. Around 1,500 of the 2,000 guests left by coaches. Our tour operator was also kind enough to club some tours, so that people who wanted to go out independently were also adjusted,” said Clement.
The cruise liner sailed later in the evening to Cochin port on its onward outbound destination. KTC Superintendent Ankush Naik said the KTC had arranged a maximum number of Volvo coaches for the cruise passengers. “We charged them Rs 600 for a tour from morning till we dropped them back here at 4 pm,” said Naik.
