the goan I network
PANAJI
Members of the the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) led by its president Savio Messias met Tourism Minister Manohar ‘Babu’ Ajgaonkar and presented him with a white paper detailing key issues facing the tourism industry in Goa.
The white paper has been prepared for analyzing the huge decline in foreign tourists to Goa last season. The white paper also addresses a number of other issues affecting the tourism sector while also detailing
possible solutions.
Savio Messias informed that the white paper was painstakingly prepared by bringing all tourism stakeholders like hoteliers, taxi operators and even bureaucrats on board.
He further said, “The Tourism Minister promised to look into the white paper. He has also instructed the Director of Tourism to fix regular meetings with the TTAG to ensure implementation of possible suggestions, at the earliest.”
During the meeting, TTAG also submitted a draft amendment to the ‘Tourist Trade Act’, which if implemented will allow hotels to renew their registration once in five years with the department. As of now, hotels are required to renew registration once
every year.
The TTAG president requested Ajgaonkar to introduce the said amendment in the upcoming monsoon session of the Assembly. Recently, the travel body also met Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant, who has assured support for the development of tourism in the State.
