Newstrack

Chetan Kapoor - Mumbai

Goan B&B hoteliers want to draft state tourism policy

In an unprecedented move, the small and medium-sized hoteliers in Goa want to come together in order to draft a tourism policy for the state. According to Serafino Cota, convener of Goa-based Responsible Tourism and owner of Dona Sa maria, the members met on June 13 to discuss the policy and present it to the state tourism minister and the tourism director within two months.

He added, "We also plan to invite officials from the finance ministry to discuss taxation during off-season. We are a group of 80 B&B hoteliers working on a tourism policy, which should have been planned by the government a long time ago. This is probably the first time that we are working with the locals and other parties in the tourism industry to understand the dynamics of the industry."

The policy is expected to focus on responsible tourism - disposing garbage correctly, water harvesting, growing vegetables and using gober gas while maintaining international standards - and connecting fellow partners in the business with each other.

Cota said that it was usually the small-time hoteliers who suffered the most due to certain policies. "Our group is backed by the Goan church which will guide and educate every Goan middle-class to benefit from the policy. As we expand, we will also open up to big players from the three and five-star properties as well as half-board B&B properties."

Ralph de Sousa, president of Travel & Tourism Association of Goa and Sunit Kothari, executive committee member of HRAWI, were unavailable for comment.