Goa is celebrating world tourism day on September 27, 2015, and on this special day the department has decided to make the e-registration mandatory for the entire tourist entering Goa. This rule will be applicable to International as well as the Domestic tourists. Based on this new amendment, henceforth all the Resorts, Hotels, Motels, Guest houses and everyone who provides the stay facility in Goa will have to compulsorily record the details of the visitors coming to Goa and staying with them.
Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar has revealed this information to the media on the eve of World Tourism Day. According to the sources, Goa receives around 7 to 7.5 million tourist annually but due to the lack of registration facilities this estimation goes down to around 5 million figure. “The E-registration facility will help to obtain the exact figure of the tourist arriving in Goa”, he said. Parulekar has also pointed out that the e-registration facility will be connecting the various hotels in Goa directly to the server of department of tourism which will help the department to assess the details of the tourist arriving in the state.
Parulekar was inaugurating the M V Lexicon, a vessel designed as yacht, anchored at the newly constructed Captain of Ports Jetty in the city, which will be made available for the parties and business events to the locals as well as outsiders. The Panaji MLA Sidharth Kunkalienkar was also present on this occasion. Talking on this occasion Parulekar further said that the gloomy tourism season experienced by Goa last year due to the sinking Russian economy which resulted out of the conflicts between Russia and the Ukraine. He kept himself positive saying that “The conflicts in Russia will end soon and we are expecting around 1100 to 1200 chartered flights to arrive this year in Goa. This tourism season will be better compared to the last one which had only 900 flights coming to Goa”. He said there will be 30% rise in the arrivals of chartered flights during this season.
Parulekar further noted that the forthcoming tourist season will witness many new innovative facilities introduced by the state tourism department, such as, Hot Air Balloons, Amphibious Vessels and Seaplane “In fact, the Automobile Corporation of Goa Ltd (ACGL) in collaboration with a US-based agency has already built four amphibious vehicles and we are awaiting permission from Central authority to put them into use as soon as possible,” he revealed, stating that the clearance should come by October 15.
Goa Tourism is leaving no stone unturned to makes sure that the forthcoming season will have many positive impacts on the tourism industry of Goa. Our state needs the rocking season this time to cover up all the losses that have faced due slack season last year. Even mining has started breathing up and soon it will be coming to the rescue of draining the economy of Goa. Although the department is putting all their efforts to revive the tourism industry of Goa but it cannot be done without the help of all the stakeholders reliant on the tourism industry in Goa. We all have to make sure that we practice the mantra of “Atithi Devo Bhavo” which means that the guests are God and should be treated like God and our Goa is the only place in the world that is famous for its unmatched hospitality. Please do leave your comments and suggestion on this issue.
Source: Various Sources
Edited by Goa Prism News Desk
