Goa to reopen its doors for domestic tourists from today

Panaji: The tourism department is all set to reopen its doors for domestic tourists from Thursday, even as COVID positive cases have been increasing in the state.

Tourism Minister Manohar ‘Babu’ Azgaonkar on Wednesday announced that the tourism industry and hotels in the state would reopen for the domestic tourists from Thursday with certain conditions.

“Maharashtra and Hyderabad have already reopened their doors for tourists. Why should we sit back and wait? We are also allowing the industry to resume. There are so many travellers who want to come to Goa,” he said.

The minister informed that tourism department has already given permissions to 250 hotels to operate by adhering to standard operating procedures.

“We have decided to allow the domestic travellers to come to Goa from July 2 onwards, if they comply with certain norms,” the minister said, disclosing that the decision on the resumption of the industry was taken at a state cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.

Azgaonkar said the arriving tourists will have to compulsorily book their stay in hotels approved by the tourism department, adding that homestays and those who don’t register with the department will not be allowed to entertain guests or offer online bookings.

The minister said that tourists will have to carry COVID negative certificates while entering Goa.

“If they don’t have the certificates then they will have to get themselves tested at the borders, and stay put in the state-run quarantine facilities till their results are conveyed to them,” he explained.

If a tourist tests positive for the pandemic then he/she will be given two options: either the visitor returns to the home state or gets admitted in a government-run COVID care facility in Goa, Azgaonkar explained, adding that tourists without COVID negative certificates will not be allowed to roam.