Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte at the Goa Liberation Day celebrations in Mapusa on Friday. Captured by : The Goan
MAPUSA
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte on Thursday said the tragic fire incident at a nightclub in Arpora has not shown any immediate impact on tourist arrivals to Goa, but underlined the need for collective responsibility and strict enforcement of statutory compliances to prevent such incidents.
Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the Liberation Day flag-hoisting ceremony in Mapusa, Khaunte described the fire at Birch by Romeo Lane as an unfortunate tragedy and stressed that gaps in regulation and enforcement must be urgently addressed.
“While the tourism department does not directly register restaurants or nightclubs, it is responsible for promoting Goa as a destination. Tourists who come here visit these establishments, and hence every concerned department must ensure that all statutory norms are followed,” Khaunte said.
He noted that Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has already initiated a State-wide enforcement drive, with several establishments sealed for non-compliance. “We must promote Goa in the right manner, with safety, responsibility and compliance at the core,” he added.
Khaunte also reiterated the government’s push to diversify tourism beyond beaches, pointing out that foreign tourist arrivals are showing an upward trend, while domestic tourism continues to remain steady.
On air connectivity, the Tourism Minister acknowledged that the recent cancellation of IndiGo flights had caused disruption and said there was a need for additional airlines to step in to strengthen connectivity to the State.
Referring to the loss of lives in the Arpora fire, Khaunte said that while the incident was deeply unfortunate, the focus must now be on corrective action. “One tragic incident has taken place in which many lives were lost. We have to take responsibility and move forward to ensure such incidents do not recur,” he said.
