Cumbersome process for obtaining and renewing beach shack licences, lack of efficient sewage disposal infrastructure, increasing incidents of stray dog bites on beaches, illegal subletting of beach shacks, delay in visa application process for international tourists, restrictions in music timings — these were among the “pressing” concerns flagged by tourism industry stakeholders during a recent meeting with the government.
In a memorandum to the government, Shack Owners Welfare Society Goa (SOWS-Goa) outlined a series of ‘challenges’ impacting the livelihoods of shack owners and Goa’s reputation as a premier global tourist destination and urged the government to address the concerns.
Cruz Cardozo, president, SOWS-Goa, said one of the significant bureaucratic hurdles faced by shack owners is the protracted and convoluted process for obtaining and renewing beach shack licences and permissions for excise, electricity and water connections and called for a transparent single window system.
“The increasing number of stray dogs on Goa beaches poses a serious threat to the safety of tourists and locals. The practice of illegal subletting of beach shacks, particularly to people from outside Goa, is a growing problem that undermines the very spirit of shack policy designed to benefit local Goans. The unchecked proliferation of unregulated hawkers and vendors on the beaches creates significant problems as they often harass tourists, obstruct pathways and compromise peaceful beach experience,” the memorandum said.
The shack owners said illegal touting has contributed to an estimated 70% decline in tourism for legitimate businesses. “Tourists are constantly harassed and misled for various services, including club tickets and accommodation and this aggressive and often dishonest solicitation often creates a negative perception of Goa, eroding trust and severely impacting the footfall and revenue of licenced establishments… We have observed a significant impact on tourist arrivals due to ongoing complexities and delays in the visa application process for international visitors. A smoother and more efficient visa process is essential to ensure a steady flow of international tourists,” the memo said.
The shack owners said the restriction on playing music beyond 10 pm is a major source of disappointment for tourists, particularly international visitors who are accustomed to vibrant nightlife. “We request a reconsideration of these timings, perhaps extending music permissions till midnight or 1 am, especially for licensed establishments…” the memorandum said.
The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) said among the matters discussed during the meeting with the government included implementation of taxi aggregator guidelines, streamlining permissions of events into a single window system to attract more MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions) events to Goa and better systems to segregate and collect garbage. “The ease of doing business needs to be improved for renewal of licences to help stakeholders to focus on their businesses. Reduction of VAT on high-end liquor and extension of excise licences from 11 pm to midnight was also discussed,” the association said.
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After chairing the inter-departmental meeting with the stakeholders and representatives from the tourism industry on Thursday, Goa CM Pramod Sawant assured the stakeholders that policy tweaks shall be made in the upcoming Assembly session to streamline processes and boost tourism.
“If policies need to be tweaked, we will not hesitate…Goa is already witnessing a positive influx of tourists, including during the ongoing monsoon season. We have listened to all the stakeholders — shack owners, restaurateurs, hoteliers and tour operators. Key issues such as trade licence renewals, extended operational hours, infrastructure bottlenecks and aviation connectivity will be addressed within the next month. We are committed to escalating matters such as visa-on-arrival and international airline connectivity to the Government of India and the PMO,” said Sawant in a statement.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said, “… We are competing with top global destinations and it is imperative that Goa stays one step ahead. By focusing on ease of doing business and targeted intervention, we can enhance the quality of tourism, increase employment and grow tourism in a responsible manner.”
