Drop in tourist arrivals hits Morjim, Ashwem (oHeraldo)

Some hoteliers are forced to pay staff salaries from personal funds, others are contemplating shutting down premises as early as Jan

27 Dec, 2014, 12:16AM IST

 VIBHA VERMA

vibha@herald-goa.com

MORJIM/ASHWEM: Morjim and Ashwem have been hit hard this season after the drop in tourist arrivals and cancellations by foreign tourists. Empty hotel rooms and deserted shacks has forced some hoteliers to dig into their savings to pay off the staff salaries, while others are even contemplating of shutting down their premises as early as January.

“I am paying off staff salaries from my personal funds. In the last 20 days, my resort has faced losses of about Rs 5 lakh only through online cancellation of bookings, and it is still going on. These bookings were done via reputed online portals we are linked with, during the monsoon,” Pirache Village Eco Resort Manager Kalpesh Fondekar said.

This Morjim resort is not the lone sufferer. Sea View Resort at Ashwem has seen a shocking 60 per cent of its bookings cancelled by tourists from the United Kingdom and Russia.

Its co-owner said the falling Russian currency and abrupt cancellation of charter flights has severely hampered their business. He said they were forced to slash down room tariffs by 40 per cent, terming this season as the worst ever in the coastal stretch.

Girish Naik, owner of Bora Bora beach shack lounge at Morjim has a similar tale to tell. Serving a majority of tourists from Russia and Israel, he claims that two guest houses he runs have no bookings post January 10 even as his occupancy, as of now is 50 per cent, as the other half has cancelled.

While the industry suffers, tourism director Ameya Abhayankar remains positive. “Goa need not panic as tourist arrivals are increasing for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. The visa on arrival facility at Dabolim international airport, is issuing 100 visas per day on an average and during the last ten days there has been a huge increase in issue of visas from 375 on December 16 to 1,091 as on December 25,” he said.  He further said, “We are also taking an inventory of tourist arrivals by rail, road at toll booths at the State borders. This will give an accurate figure on tourist arrivals to Goa.”

This won’t help Naik and others in the tourism industry much.

“I have already paid different forms of taxes to government for six months but the bleak tourist season compels me to shut down the two guest houses after January 10,” the man, who rose from being a waiter to a manager and now owner of the lavish location, laments.

What’s more worse for the tourism industry is that they have to refund advance payments on cancellation of room bookings. Fondekar said there is no refund if the cancellation is done seven days prior to the check-in date.

“My clients from Germany, Russia and Ukraine, among other nations, have dropped drastically. When Sri Lanka and Thailand have lots to offer and quality services offered at reasonable rates, why will tourists come to Goa?” he said, blaming the government. “Sad that government rules are taking away tourists from Goa,” he said.

The stakeholders are now dependent on Indian tourists, who they say, not only come in large numbers but are also good spenders. “Indians are the best customers. They spend much more than foreign tourists,” Sea View Resort’s co-owner said. The opinion was shared by Bora Bora’s Naik.

The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) sees it as a recession in the tourism industry and is urging stakeholders to move away from traditional markets to technology driven platforms.

TTAG President Francisco Braganza said the government should not be blamed for every loss. “It is there for everyone to see. Hotel rooms, restaurants and shacks are empty. The roads are not crowded and there are no traffic jams in the northern coastal belt of Candolim, Calangute and Baga. Fish is being supplied to hotels at half the price... the worst is yet to come…,” he said.

Braganza also did a little introspecting and said, “In some areas we ourselves are to be blamed. Goa is gradually losing its identity and its charm... We need to professionalize our marketing.”

 http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Drop-in-tourist-arrivals-hits-Morjim-Ashwem/82705.html