GTDC gets bigger role than tourism department in draft policy

The incompetent GTDC is being rewarded for not being able to manage its own work!!! hats off to our planners in the government.

The draft Goa TourismPolicy, 2016, has relegated the tourism department to a minor role while Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) has been given the upper hand in developing and promoting Goa’s tourism sector with a thrust on privatization and outsourcing of its assets.

The draft policy says GTDC should redevelop all its assets, chiefly hotels, through private sector participation under long-term licensing arrangements, to private firms on a long-term basis for development and operations.

During the last five years, GTDC has leased out some of its beach properties including those at Colva, Anjuna, Britona and Miramar.

A source said the draft policy prepared by the tourism master planner -consortium of KPMG Advisory Services Pvt Ltd, and T & L, is expected to be approved once the new government is formed.

While draft emphasizes privatization, it says the existing staff employed in such activities, will be redeployed as per needs identified.

“GTDC will progressively play the role of facilitator and aid investments in the tourism sector, besides spearheading new infrastructure and product interventions in the state,” says the draft tourism policy.

After the BJP-led government assumed power in March 2012, tourism department was stripped of its power to empower the GTDC by creating a special purpose vehicle (SPC). Until then GTDC’s role was more or less limited to operating and running its properties.

The draft tourism policy 2016 suggests that tourism department will continue to play a secondary role despite being a parent department. The role of the tourism department includes administration and enforcement of tourism-related polities, acquisition of land for tourism projects as approved by the Goa Tourism Board (GTB), allotment of shacks, et al.

The draft policy wants GTB to be constituted and headed by a government appointee. In its 2012 budget, the Parrikar-government had declared to constitute a full-fledged tourism board. The budget promise was not executed even though trade body Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) continuously pursued the government on this issue over four years.

The draft tourism policy stipulates that state-level marketing and promotion committee (SLMC) be dissolved and activities of marketing and promotion be undertaken by GTDC, under direction/ supervision of the GTB.

It also suggested that GTDC disengage from commercial activities such as operations of hotels, halls, renting of buses and taxis, organization of sightseeing tours and river cruises over the next few years.

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