GCCI cautions tourism stakeholders to ensure obedience to Covid protocols

Saturday, September 25, 2021

The Goa chamber of commerce and industry (GCCI) has warned tourism stakeholders to make sure thatobedience to existing Covid protocols are in place, adding that negligence by hoteliers, tourism stakeholders and the state government would shut down the tourism industry for yet another year.

The GCCI said that hotels and tour operations staff should be completely vaccinated to ensure the safety of the citizens of Goa along with visitors.

“It is the responsibility of stakeholders to ensure that all precautions are taken to avoid any infection, as negligence on their part would lead to the shutdown of the tourism industry for at least another year,” said GCCI president Ralph de Sousa.

GCCI, along with international charter operators, had submitted representations to the state government meetingGoa Chief Minister PramodSawant and requesting him to start international flights into Goa.

Six days earlier, PM Modi announced that international tourists would be permitted to visit Goa. GCCI and TTAG have been campaigning for international scheduled and charter flights to land at Goa International Airport under strict Covidrules.

Lapses in Covid protocols might initiate a surge in new cases, and the government will have no other option but to stop the inflow of tourists, creating a failure of the upcoming tourist season, said Sousa.

Sousa also said that vaccine certificates or negative RT-PCR tests would be verified at the border and during check-in.
“If this is strictly followed, the Goan tourism industry will be back on track and ensure rise in economic growth, which was lost last year,” said Sousa.

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