Goa, now home to sun, sand and snow

Posted on March 21, 2016 by crtgoa9020

“Tourism is very obviously run by those who have not understood its basics. This begins with the Chief Minister goes down to the minister of tourism to the director of tourism and more and more notably the chairman of the GTDC who has never encountered notions and theories of tourism ever before in his life. Each new announcement made under the aegis of the tourism department sounds more absurd. Such is foolishness.”

 

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Goa-now-home-to-sun-sand-and-snow/articleshow/51487562.cms

Goa’s first ice-cold amusement facility, Snow Park, was recently launched at Baga, Calangute. Briefing media persons, managing partner Mahendra Patel said that they have done a soft launch of the park which is spread over 500 sq mtrs. Promoted by Jupiter Enterprises, this is the group’s second such park, the first one being in Surat, Gujarat.

 Located at Baga, on Tito’s Lane 2, the park, which is the size of a large nightclub, includes an ice slide, a maze of ice rooms and a snow-filled play area with a number of games on offer. The ice and snow for the facility is generated through machines on site. Interestingly, for those looking for an adrenaline fix, these machines can also simulate snow storms and other cold weather conditions.

Entry to the snow park is priced at 750 and the park is open on all days, from 11am to 11pm.

“Looking at the tourism potential in Goa, we have started a bigger park here; the one in Surat is half this size. There are only a couple of other such parks in India. You can now experience real snow in Goa,” Patel said.

 

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Taxi operators to strike from April 11

Posted on March 20, 2016 by crtgoa9020

tax

Posted in Federation of Associations of Tourist Taxi Owners and Drivers - FATTOD Goa | Leave a comment

North Goa tourist cabbies call for strike

Posted on March 20, 2016 by crtgoa9020

“The government has been pussy-footing on this for months . It typifies their solutions for problems – delay justice”

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/North-Goa-tourist-cabbies-call-for-strike/articleshow/51478467.cms

The North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association (NGTTOA) has decided to observe a day-long strike on April 11 in support of their pending demands. In a meeting held at Calangute on Saturday morning, the executive committee of the association claimed that taxi unions from the airport and South Goa besides tourist buses are extending their support.

Vice-president of the association, Ravindra Vengurlekar said the main demands include halting operations of all illegal private rental cars and other vehicles which are eating into the business of their members and also suspension of the decision making it mandatory to install meters from April 1.

The taxi union body alleged that the authorities failed to crack down on illegal rental vehicles and as such private cars are given on rent. Even the motorcycle pilots are feeling the heat of private two-wheelers given on rent.

Vengurlekar said the state government should have taken their association into confidence before making it mandatory to install meters.
 “Stakeholders should discuss the issue of taxi fare threadbare. We cannot have uniform fare structure for all tourist taxis as different variants of vehicles are used. No discussion has happened on this aspect so far. In view of this, they cannot expect from us to install meters from April 1, he said.

The transport department had issued a notification in December making it mandatory to install meters from April 1. Subsequently, the association sought a clarification from the transport department, to which they are yet to get a response.

“Unless all issues, including the amount of subsidies, are put to rest, we will not install meters,” Vengurlekar said.

Posted in Federation of Associations of Tourist Taxi Owners and Drivers - FATTOD Goa | Leave a comment

Tiracol report scrapped

Posted on March 18, 2016 by crtgoa9020

The government has stuff to hide. It knows it has lied. There are doubts that money has passed hands and so it now wants to sweep things under the carpet.

http://www.epaperoheraldo.in/Details.aspx?id=19400&boxid=161117503&uid=&dat=3/18/2016

tira

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North Goa tourist taxi association flays state government

Posted on March 17, 2016 by crtgoa9020

“The government is only consistent with one thing….its against the working classes. If the BJP thinks that it can ignore the masses, its disappearance from the political scene is only a matter of time.”

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/North-Goa-tourist-taxi-association-flays-state-government/articleshow/51437033.cms

embers of the North Goa Tourist Taxi Owners Association (NGTTOA) have flayed the state government for chargesheeting 15 of their executive committee members for the incidents which occurred during the protest by NGTTOA members against illegal rental cars in February 2013. NGTTOA members were summoned to the Mapusa JMFC court on Wednesday.

 After the court hearing NGTTOA members gathered in large numbers at the Calangute traffic cell office at the Poriat grounds in Calangute and submitted a memorandum to Calangute traffic PI Salim Sheikh demanding immediate action against those renting out private cars illegally.

PI Sheikh has assured to take action. A large number of policemen were deployed around the area as a precautionary measure.

 Speaking to TOI, Ravindra Vengurlekar, vice-president of the NGTTOA, said that they have been complaining and protesting against the illegal renting out of private cars to tourists for the last few years as it is affecting their legal taxi business. In February 2013 they had resorted to a ‘rasta roko’ agitation in Calangute and later tried to block the NH17 at Porvorim, following which the police had made a lathi charge and dispersed them.
Posted in Tourist taxi operators threaten strike over Olacabs | Leave a comment

Budget gave tourism a raw deal: TTAG

Posted on March 17, 2016 by crtgoa9020

” One can agree with TTAG that government support to tourism is way below expectations. CRT, however would like to see budget allocations for the small and medium sectors. But this is a government out of touch with reality and one should opt for minimal expectations.”

  Even as chief minister Laxmikant Parsekar said his government is committed to doubling tourist footfalls, there was nothing special on offer for the tourism industry in the budget presented on Wednesday. The chief minister has earmarked 50 crore towards marketing and promotional activities and 80 crore for infrastructure projects for 2016-17 whereas it was 260 crore in 2015-16. The reduction in budgetary allocation of tourism industry which contributes in a big way to the economy was a surprise to many. The fund allocation to the tourism department was significantly, after BJP came to power in March 2012. Industry stakeholders expressed displeasure over lack of focus on the tourism sector. Travel and tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), a body representing hoteliers and travel firms, claimed it was not happy with the budget. Francisco de Braganca, TTAG president, commenting on the budget, said, “Tourism is not given the importance it deserves. I did not see any focus on its development.”

 

 

 

Referring to the budgetary allocation of 130 crore, 50 crore for tourism promotion and 80 crore for tourism infrastructure, he said there is no break-up of purposes for which funds will be utilized. “In the absence of details it is difficult to comment specifically. But, we can only hope that promotional expenditure is channelized towards promotional support to international tour operators and not only for road shows,” he said.

 

 

 

Parsekar spoke about some of the old initiatives such as e-visa facility at Dabolim airport and life guarding services, but there was no attempt to offer solution to any of the problems plaguing the industry.

 

 

 

Braganca also pointed out he did not see any thrust on completion of the tourism master plan and constitution of tourism master plan.

 

 

 

Without these two, he said infrastructure expenditure will be unplanned and may not help in tourism promotion. He further said nothing has been done to plug leakages and bring the entire hospitality industry under the tax bracket as a result of which, the legitimate industry continues to bear brunt of taxation burden.

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