PANAJI
The scorching heat and uncomfortable humidity, concurrent Lok Sabha polls and the Indian Premier League have largely hit the tourism sector. There's a significant decline in domestic arrivals, leading to a stark drop in occupancy rates by over 50 per cent in recent weeks.
Even shacks and beach-side eateries have been struggling to find customers. Stakeholders lament that the overall tourist season has proven comparatively lackluster compared to the initial recovery post-Covid-19.
President of the Goa Hotels & Restaurant Association Gaurish Dhond admitted this decline, attributing it to the triple threat of relentless heat, ongoing elections and the IPL.
“The hospitality sector is facing a challenging period. Occupancy rates have dipped by over 50 per cent,” Dhond said.
The industry concurs with the observation stating that travelers are likely postponing trips due to the extreme temperature and concurrent events. “Despite introducing packages, inquiries for summer vacation bookings remained minimal due to the heat and elections,” an official from a popular resort in Canacona said, wishing anonymity. Quite a few in this sector have been offering marginal discounts and lucrative packages given the current scenario.
President of the Shack Owners Welfare Society Cruz Cardozo also expressed concern over the dwindling domestic visitors. “For the first time in two decades, nearly 80 per cent of shacks shut in March alone. The remaining face inevitable closure due to lack of business. The combined impact of scorching temperatures, elections and the IPL has added to our woes,” Cardozo said.
Traditional Shack Owners Association President Manuel Cardozo echoed the views, adding that remaining operational shacks are left with barely 5-10 per cent of clients. “During the daytime, visitors to our shacks are almost nil, although some visitors do turn up in the evening hours. The overall count is 5-10 per cent,” he said. The shack business has anyway seen a drop in business owing to fewer foreign tourists.
Nevertheless, with three election phases completed, departure of summer in the South-West coupled with school holidays extending into June in many parts of India, this sector is optimistic of resurgence. Dhond claimed an uptick in inquiries and bookings for the coming days.
Goa meanwhile continues to receive budget-conscious and low-income tourists, albeit in limited numbers.
On the contrary, South Asian countries have witnessed a surge in visitors despite the heat. Even President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) Jack Sukhija conceded that “travellers are exploring alternative destinations beyond Goa” adding Goa still remains a top destination.
