The tourism industry faced compounded challenges exacerbated by bureaucratic obstacles and a slowdown in international travel due to ongoing conflicts. Captured by : The Goan
PANAJI
As the curtain on the six-month-long tourist season came down on May 31 -- marked by early closure and dismantling of 60-80 per cent beach shacks -- the industry grappled with challenges worsened by bureaucratic hurdles and slowdown due to ongoing wars affecting international travel plans.
Despite these hurdles, the closure coinciding with the weekend prompted shack operators to appeal to the Tourism Department for an extension. In all likelihood, the shacks will be allowed to operate till the onset of monsoon.
A letter addressed to Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte and the Tourism Director by the Shack Owners Welfare Society highlighted various issues faced by operators while urging an extension.
“Some shack allottees erected shack, however, could not operate the shack due to lack/shortage of staff and delay in shack allotment as such could not obtain other NOCs,” reads a two-page letter.
President Cruz Cardozo revealed that about 60-80 per cent of shacks across various beach stretches, including densely populated areas, had closed well before the May 31 deadline.
“The structures are also already dismantled. Operators of those remaining requested permission for an additional 4-5 days of operation. Hence, we appealed through our letter to the department to allow us to carry out the business till the onset of monsoon,” he said speaking to 'The Goan'.
According to officials, verbal agreements have been reached allowing for a grace period until the rains. "The ministry has been courteous to understand our plight," Cardozo said.
All through the season, domestic tourists provided some support to the tourism industry but the decline in foreign visitors, coupled with delays in setting up forced many operators to shut their businesses two months before the official end of the season.
Earlier, the association cited a delay of two months in the allotment of shacks as the tourist season began in October and shacks were not demarcated till September. While some started their operations in November end, others began in December.
The ongoing conflicts between Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Hamas further disrupted arrivals, with many flights, including charters, cancelled due to airspace closures over these regions.
The Goan Traditional Shack Owners Association, however, stated that there was no extension given for shacks while criticizing the government's laxity in ensuring the inflow of international tourists.
"It wasn’t a good season, except for business in December-February. Several shacks started operations only in November-December due to delayed licence issuance. Besides granting early licences, the government should ensure free visas or visas on arrival to prevent foreigners from choosing other tourist-friendly nations," said association president Manuel Cardozo.
The tourism officials were unavailable for comments.
