Latest news with #non-Goans
The Print
5 days ago
- Business
- The Print
‘What about Goanness?': Goa taxi drivers resist govt proposal to bring in app-based cabs
The fear is that the move will threaten the 'Goanness' of Goa's private transport industry, hurt the livelihoods of local taxi owners and flood the market with drivers from outside the state. While Goan taxi owners cite several technical objections to the entry of private app-based aggregators, at the heart of the argument is one key insecurity that is being voiced across multiple sectors in the state. Mumbai: Even as the summer recedes and the rain sets in, Goa is on the boil with the state's taxi drivers protesting against the Pramod Sawant-led government's plan of opening up the market for private app-based taxi aggregators. 'Goa's taxi drivers are the state's brand ambassadors. When tourists arrive, they first sit in the taxi from the airport. We are the first locals they interact with and we give them information on where to go, what to try, what to stay away from, etc,' Savio Valencio Goes, vice-president of North & South Goa Taxi Owners Association, told ThePrint. The overall fear is that Goa is being taken over by non-Goans everywhere, whether it is the staff that works in the state's hotels and resorts, or at restaurants and shacks. 'If all jobs are done by non-Goans, then what is the Goa that the tourists will experience?' asked Goes. The Goa government last month published draft guidelines on enabling the entry of private app-based taxi aggregators in the state. While taxi drivers in Goa have staunchly resisted the idea, tourists have often complained about Goa's taxi drivers overcharging them, not being available at all times and so on. This April, a video of a tourist slamming Goa's cab drivers as 'mafia' had gone viral on social media platforms, after which the taxi union leaders filed a police complaint objecting to the remark. The state's guidelines lay down a regulatory framework for private app-based taxi aggregators, listing the licensing fees, the tariffs, the kind of vehicles and drivers they can onboard, the fare to be received by the taxi owner, and so on. The North & South Goa Taxi Owners Association has called upon all the 23,000-24,000 taxi drivers of the state to submit their objections to the draft rules. The Goa government, meanwhile, has called upon private taxi drivers to join the two government-supported taxi aggregators that are already functional in Goa—Goa Miles and Goa Taxi app. 'We don't mind joining them, but there is absolutely no transparency. And there are basic issues that come up in the functioning of app-based aggregators,' Goes said. Speaking to reporters in Goa Monday, state transport minister Mauvin Godinho said: 'This is just a draft notification. We will take all stakeholders in confidence. We are having consultations with different bodies of industry, the tourism sector, the common man. We have given everyone one month to take feedback. It is not that the guidelines are final.' Also Read: Goa's resentment toward outsiders and settlers is rising. Calangute tourist tax is a sign The many objections The foremost concern of local taxi drivers over the new draft guidelines of the Goa government is that none of them was called as stakeholders in discussions that were held in the run up to the formation of the draft. In the memorandum of objections that the drivers are submitting to the Goa transport department, they call themselves the 'primary stakeholders of Goa's transport business'. 'Our practical experience and insights into the local transport landscape are invaluable, and their omission has resulted in a document that appears to overlook the ground realities and welfare of existing operators,' the memorandum, seen by ThePrint, says. It adds that large cab aggregator companies will have vast resources and aggressive market strategies. They fear that these companies could easily monopolise the transport sector and drive out local operators. 'This would lead to a significant loss of income and employment for Goan families,' the memorandum adds. It further suggests that the role of aggregators should be limited to pick-up and drop facilities in Goa, and they should not be permitted to enter the area of tourism services. These include facilitating bookings for local sightseeing tours, transporting to and from events, spice plantation visits, cruise bookings and so on. The memorandum also says that app-based services will not work in Goa because the state lacks the supporting infrastructure in many places. At several tourist spots, it states, there is inconsistent and poor cellular phone network. Tourists will have trouble finding a cab, and drivers too might be unwilling to ply to such destinations. 'Mandating a system heavily reliant on smartphone applications will disproportionately disadvantage both taxi operators and tourists in these areas,' the memorandum adds. Finally, it says that the guidelines are not transparent regarding fare structure for aggregators. It asserts that the current fare structure for private taxis is also outdated and needs to be revised keeping in mind the increase in petrol and diesel prices. Anand Naik, a taxi driver based in Vasco da Gama, told ThePrint that most Goans have their own cars and two-wheelers and don't need taxis. It is the tourists who do. 'If the tourists start using aggregator services, what will happen to Goans like us who have been driving taxis for generations?' Naik asked. He said that aggregator services may not be feasible in Goa as a lot of journeys are one way. Drivers would have to return to their main stand without a fare, he explained. State's guidelines for app-based aggregators In 2018, the Goa government had launched the Goa Miles cab aggregator service in collaboration with a private company. In 2023, it also launched the Goa Taxi app that allows people to book cabs online to travel anywhere in the state. Private taxi operators say that only a handful—about 2,000 to 3,000 taxi owners—have come on board these two platforms. The new draft guidelines, published on 20 May this year, aim to smoothen the entry of private companies in the app-based transport aggregator business too. The guidelines state that only companies which have obtained a valid licence from the Goa government can operate in the state. The aggregator should also either have a registered office in Goa or have a registered office somewhere in India, and a branch in Goa. The aggregator further has to ensure health insurance for drivers of not less than Rs 10 lakh with a 5 percent increase every year. According to the guidelines, the aggregator has to ensure that the cab owner receives at least the fare that has been prescribed by the government and not make any deductions from it. Moreover, the fare has to be settled with the taxi owner within 72 hours. In case the aggregator fails to settle the dues within the prescribed time frame, the company will have to shell out 25 percent of the dues as penalty for every day of delay. The guidelines also provide for a grievance redressal mechanism. (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: The real problem to Goa tourism isn't from social media. Sea view homes are killing mangroves
Time of India
28-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
'Don't sell land to Delhi people: Why is state agri minister warning Goans about Delhiites
Agriculture Minister Ravi Naik on Monday appealed to Goans to refrain from selling their ancestral land to builders and individuals from Delhi. He warned that the unchecked sale of land to non-Goans could leave locals landless and contribute to the decline of agriculture in the state. 'Delhi is hot and has a lot of pollution. During those days, people want to come to Goa. They buy homes here, buy land here. Goans should not sell their land to Delhiites. Goans should not sell their land to anyone,' he said. 'We should not sell our land, otherwise, Goa will not remain. There will be no land left for Goans. People can come here, have a picnic, and they must go back,' Naik told television reporters. 'We need to preserve our ancestral land. We get some tourists in jeeps who cook and eat on the roadside, create a mess, and go. What does Goa get from them? Nothing. We don't want such tourists who don't stay in hotels,' added Naik. Goa faces competition Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has said the coastal state is facing competition from Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Indonesia, and steps will be taken to ensure that the footfall of tourists is unaffected during monsoon. He said monsoon festivals and trekking activities can be a big draw for tourists during what is traditionally not a peak season. Live Events Khaunte chaired a meeting with the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), hoteliers and airlines earlier this week to discuss the promotion of monsoon tourism. He said Goa faced competition from the tourism markets of Vietnam, Indonesia and Sri Lanka, and the industry has witnessed disruption following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack. "Although Goa did well in the first quarter of the year, with 10 per cent growth compared to the same period last year, April witnessed a low," the minister said. He said the impact of the Pahalgam attack could be seen in the tourism industry in May, as several tourists cancelled their travel plans. The whole focus is right now on the monsoon tourism and how the industry can come together collaboratively and competitively, offer packages and promote "Goa beyond beaches" in the right sense, Khaunte said. He said the state has been celebrating monsoon festivals such as Sao Joao, Chikhal Kalo and Bondera and even organising treks, which can be a major attraction for tourists. "When we speak about competition from Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Indonesia, we are speaking about the pricing and also how we can make tourists spend more days in Goa," he said. Khaunte said the state needs to promote itself in a big way in UAE and the Middle East. "The hotel industry and the airlines have assured that they will put together ideas and curate the packages for tourists during monsoon season," he said.
Time of India
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Don't sell your land to Delhi people: Minister Ravi Naik to Goans
Panaji: Agriculture minister Ravi Naik on Monday urged Goans not to sell their ancestral land to builders and people from Delhi and Hyderabad. Naik said that the rampant sale of land to non-Goans will leave Goans landless and lead to a decline of agriculture. 'Delhi is hot and has a lot of pollution. During those days, people want to come to Goa. They buy homes here, buy land here. Goans should not sell their land to Delhiites. Goans should not sell their land to anyone,' he said. 'We should not sell our land, otherwise, Goa will not remain. There will be no land left for Goans. People can come here, have a picnic, and they must go back,' Naik told television reporters. Naik also appeared upset with tourists who travel in buses and jeeps to Goa but do not stay at hotels. 'We need to preserve our ancestral land. We get some tourists in jeeps who cook and eat on the roadside, create a mess, and go. What does Goa get from them? Nothing. We don't want such tourists who don't stay in hotels,' said Naik.
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
21-04-2025
- Business Standard
Tough season: Sharp drop in tourism forces closure of Goa beach shacks
This season, Goa's iconic beach shacks—long seen as symbols of the state's vibrant coastal tourism—are disappearing at an alarming rate. With weeks still to go before the official end of the season on May 31, many shacks in popular spots like Calangute, Candolim, Colva, Cavelossim, Morjim, Benaulim, and Majorda have already shut their doors. The early closures highlight a troubling dip in both tourist footfall and overall business performance. Due to low tourist activity, many shack owners who paid for licenses that were good till the end of May have voluntarily stopped operating, according to the Times of India. Particularly for shacks on less-visited beaches, the shutdown procedure started in the final week of March, according to the Shack Owners Welfare Society (SOWS). After Easter, there were more closures. Goa tourism 2025: Fall in tourism? The 2024–2025 season is regarded by Goa beach tourism stakeholders as one of the most difficult in recent memory. Cruz Cardozo, President of SOWS, was quoted by the ET as saying, 'If there is no business, then what is the point of keeping the shacks open?' 'There are no tourists on the beach at all. You can say the season was for two-and-a-half months, from Jan to mid-March when the foreign charter tourists were there. Now they've stopped. It is the first time that shacks have stopped for business so early,' added Manuel Cardozo, president of the Goan Traditional Shacks Owners Association. The issues this season were not just financial. Two reported killings along Goa's beaches, many altercations between tourists and shack workers, and social media criticism all had an effect on the tourism environment. These problems further discouraged travelers, especially after the middle of March. Goa tourism: More about less tourism in upcoming days The second year of a three-year licensing period began with the 2024–2025 beach shack season. Although the season got off to a promising start, it soon deteriorated. The problems were discovered when tourism department officials found anomalies like shack owners renting out their shacks to non-Goans and occupying more beach space than they were allowed. Not every shack operator has left. They have asked for authorization to continue operating into June since they are seeing an increase in domestic foot traffic in high-traffic areas like Sauntavaddo in Calangute, portions of Baga, and the entrances to major beaches. 'Some shack operators at Benaulim, Colva, Calangute - Sauntavaddo and Baga have sought an extension beyond May 31, but we have to also see the weather,' Cruz stated. The early closures as the season draws to a close serve as a reminder of how precarious Goan tourism is, with even establishments having to adjust to declining numbers and changing conditions.
