Will ask Centre to restart charter flights, says Goa CM Pramod Sawant

PANAJI: Chief minister Pramod Sawant said on Tuesday that while the state government has not taken any decision to start tourism activities in the state, the government can “think positively” about resuming the industry. Sawant also said that the state would write to the Union government requesting that charter flights be allowed to restart.
Sawant said that the state would consider the Covid situation in August and September, and then take a decision on restarting tourism. “We are willing to restart tourism,” he said, adding that if a third wave hits, the decision to restart the industry can be cancelled.
Sawant said that the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) requested him to start charter flights, to restart tourism. “It is in the purview of the government of India,” Sawant said. “Until the government of India gives permission, we cannot start charter flights. I told them that last time, we had made a request to start charters to the Union home and tourism ministries...”
The chief minister said that this time too, the state will write to the Centre. “We are ready to open the tourism sector by taking all precautions and putting SOPs (in place), but till now, we have not finalised them. TTAG has asked us to start tourism in October,” Sawant said.
Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GCCI) president Ralph De Souza said that at least two months is required to prepare to start tourism. He also said that charter flights can be allowed with the restriction that tourists cannot move out of Goa once they come to Goa by charter flights. TTAG and GCCI on Tuesday submitted a joint representation to the government to restart international tourism.
“Domestic tourism has started in Goa, and if we take health precautions and start charter flights, then it would be fine,” De Souza said, adding that “we are not keen on starting anything (that’s dangerous). We are interested in starting business with caution”.
TTAG president Nilesh Shah said that Goa should allow international tourists. He also said that the Goa government should talk to the Union government to open up a channel to start charter tourism. “If we take a decision now, then in October, international tourists can come to the state.” He said that tourists from Russia should be allowed.
Shah also said that the tourism industry is in a bad shape, and average occupancy is around 25%. He also said that only 1,400 hotels are open, and 2,000 others have not yet opened. “The Goa economy depends on tourism, and almost 1.4 lakh people are directly or indirectly involved, which means six lakh people are involved,” he said.
The joint representation the two bodies submitted on Tuesday said that since the stoppage of international flights in March 2020, many operators have closed their offices. “With Goa being one of the leading states for tourism, we propose that charter flights are allowed to land from safe destinations that have allowed Indians to travel to their countries on a tourist visa, and international flights are already operating between two countries, such as Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan,” it stated.