PANAJI
In a bid to give some relief to the tourism sector hit by the Covid pandemic, the State government has issued an order reducing the registration and renewal fees for tourism activities by 50 per cent.In an order issued by Director of Tourism Menino D’Souza on November 15, hotels (C and D categories and homestays), dealers, travel agents and tour operators, watersports activities, private shacks and private huts, photographers, tourist guides, deckbeds and umbrellas (hoteliers and unemployed youth), adventure sports activities and spice plantations who have registered or renewed their registration certificates for 2021-22 will get the benefit of a 50 per cent rebate.
Those who have already made full payment of their fees for the year 2021-22, it will be adjusted against the fees payable for the subsequent year.
The government gets around Rs 2.6 crore as registration fees for tourism activities spread all over Goa. Now with the 50% waiver, the State government stands to lose around Rs 1.3 crores in revenue.
The state cabinet had taken a decision in October to reduce fees by 50 per cent after taking cognizance of demands for a waiver from tourism stakeholders like the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa as businesses had faced losses due to the lockdown.
As per the Goa Registration of Tourist trade Act 1982 and Goa Registration of Tourist Trade Rules 1985, tourism service providers have to register with the government by paying registration fees and renewal fees.
