PANAJI
Expressing concern over the decline in foreign and high spending tourists’ arrival in Goa this season, BJP Calangute MLA Michael Lobo has urged his government to study and identify the “reasons” behind the decrease.
Speaking to media persons on Thursday, Lobo said that increasing crime against tourists including cheating cases, which could be one of the reasons for decline in tourist footfall, needs to be monitored and curbed. He said that the government will have to amend laws to make some stringent rules to act against tourist guides or those involved in cheating the tourists.
“We need to study the reason behind the decline in foreign tourists in Goa. Even the high spending tourists have declined. There are many reasons which need to be studied, identified and worked upon. This needs to be taken up seriously as we are known as an International tourist destination,” he said.
Lobo pointed out that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, too, had recently raised concern over increasing crime against tourists in coastal areas. “This needs to be stopped. Our tourists are being cheated by our own people. We see tourists' guides cheating them, pubs cheating them ... .this needs to be acted upon…law needs to be amended for stringent action,” he said.
Stating that tourist influx will be witnessed this weekend, the MLA said “Goa is not just about two days or Sunburn …it is about the entire season and year”.
Lobo had earlier said that Department of Tourism and Chief Minister Pramod Sawant should take cognisance of this and initiate measures.
According to Lobo, compared to previous years (before Covid), there is a drop of foreign tourists in the state.
