A skirmish on Wednesday between taxi operators and coaches (buses) slated to pick up cruise passengers for an excursion has once again brought into sharp focus the inherent competitive unease that exists among the State's tourism stakeholders.
Three buses of the excursion agent Le Passage to India were blocked from entering the port area to pick up passengers from a cruise ship by a taxi union leader forcing several pre-booked clients to return to the ship Ocean Odyssey, disappointed.The taxi union leader whose name was provided as 'Omkar' refused to accede to the pleadings of the manager of the excursion agent.
Intervention of the Harbour Police also did not yield results.
"Around 40 guests from the cruise ship started walking to the buses parked about a kilometer away....tried to board the buses but a group of taxi drivers stopped them," said a statement issued by Francis Vaz, the manager of Le Passage to India.
Vaz described the incident as "very unfortunate" and that all the passengers had to walk back to the ship disappointed without the shore excursion which was planned to be a tour of Old Goa, some temples and a visit to a Spice Plantation.
"None of the excursion could be operated and we had to refund the passengers with compensation," Vaz said.
He added that the captain of the cruise ship has conveyed that it is unlikely the cruise company will return to call at the port again.
