The Goan: Why does this problem between tour operators andtaxi drivers exist?
Savio Messias: This problem or stand-off between the taxiowners and tour operators exist for many years now. We bring clients on a fixeditinerary to Goa keeping the costing on a lower side. We cannot involve thetaxi-drivers in our business and waste time negotiating against their highrates. Also, the taxi guys are involved with a heavy weight South Goapolitician, who wants to wield money out of us and supports these taxi driversbut never wants to come to the table to discuss these issues. If the taxi guyswant our help for them to survive, then they need to learn to cooperate andhave proper work ethics. Taxi-drivers have so many terms and conditions and areunwilling to work at midnight to ferry guests for a party or a late dinner.
TG: So you believe tour operators and taxi-drivers can worktogether?
SM: This so called taxi federation needs to understand thatthe tourism industry is not about tourism only, there are other logistics alsoinvolved. Taking a guest or a group of guest to a museum, a spice farm, achurch or any other location or a simple boat trip involves food, catering,lodging, tour guides and not just taxis and transport alone. There is ahospitality factor in tourism and not a ‘charge fees’ factor only.
TG: What you have to make of these allegations that TTAGdoesn’t cater to taxi-owners?
M: TTAG is a body of those in the tourism trade, an openbody free for all to join. The taxi owners have chosen to have a separate bodycalled the taxi drivers association or federation. These allegations arebaseless.
TG: Taxi drivers plead that you should use their vehiclesand not a private coach…
SM: The government needs to put a ban on all further taxipermits. Their mushrooming number of taxis in the state is similar to themining truck menace in Goa. Taxi unions outside each hotel want us tocontribute Rs 1,500 per coach we use in the respective hotel, what kind ofgoondagiri is this. Tell these taxis to run on a meter like Mumbai and otherbig cities and we will find a solution to all their cries.
TG: Taxi drivers claim that foreigners work with touroperators despite being on a tourist visa.
SM: These allegations are ridiculous. We associate withforeign individuals who coordinate holiday packages with the foreign client andcharters but these foreign individuals working with us are here on a businessvisa. On the contrary, taxi operators in Goa have fetched us a bad name acrossthe globe in terms of an expensive tourist destination. In the rest of theworld the tourism clientele has had the right to choose their mode oftransport. We have weddings and big events stalled by taxi operators since theyhaven’t used the local taxi, tourist assaulted because they hired a bus to savecost and go partying in a group. Hotels employ more Goans whose families aredependent on tourism than the number of families that depend on taxi owners, sowho should we cater too?
