PANJIM: A 40,000-strong Goan Population in Canada is being looked at as a potential tourism market by the state government. Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) officials travelled last month to North America where they convened meetings with around 88 tour operators to explore the feasibility of opening a new tourism market for the state.
The GTDC team, including chairperson Shyam Satardekar and managing director Nikhil Desai, visited two cities in Canada, Toronto and Montreal,where a sales pitch was made that Goa offered an exotic getaway from the long Canadian winter.
"We found that Canada has a really large population of Goans,almost 40,000. They are mostly second and third generation Goans who have lost touch with their roots at home. A significant percentage are also Goans who had migrated to (Karachi) Pakistan before migrating to Canada," Desai said.
The GTDC also held a meeting with representatives from the Goan Overseas Association (GOA). "We foresee them as tourists as many do not have a home here. Therefore, they will have to stay in hotels and tourist accommodations," the GTDC MD said.
"Besides focusing on the Goan population, we are also targeting non-Indian Canadian tourists. India gets around 80,000 non-Indian Canadian tourists, annually. So why can't we get them to Goa?" he added.
The GTDC's Canada trip has also brought in criticism from different quarters, including members of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG).
Opponents have questioned whether a long-haul destination like Canada will produce tourists who will travel halfway across the world to visit beaches in Goa, when they have options closer in the United States , such as California and Florida.
The GTDC, however, has countered this stating that it is not targeting youngsters with a lesser purchasing power. " Young tourists with smaller budgets may want to holiday closer to home due to the cost factor. We are looking at middle-aged tourists who want a new experience. We're marketing a cultural and spiritual experience," Desai said.
As per feedback given by the Canadian tour operators to the GTDC, high visa fees and a two-week waiting period for a visa are the factors that would deter a Canadian from visiting India, as compared to the visa-on-arrival facility given by countries like Thailand and no visa formalities given by other countries.
This is total publicity for justification of their trip itself to Canada. It was the privilige of these tourism officials to make a trip at our cost to Canada in the name of attracting tourism. What do we have in Goa for the tourists? Security? Not at all. Infrastructure? Not at all. What all we have are places strewn with garbage everywhere, stinking beaches and lamanis posted by the local parasites on every beach. And then, we have our own drug lords and their foreign bosses. And of course, we have the police everywhere to collect the haftas rather than protecting the law. Goa is a poor destination for a decent tourist as there are no footpaths to walk, no transport system, it operates at the fancy of the taxi driver. Goa just have wonderful people, the real Niz Goenkars, their hospitality, cheap food and hotels. Shame that there are hardly few or no facilities available for the tourists from the government of 40 Chors. The real Goan from Canada will therefore never get lured by these GTDC officials as they know more than what they preached about Goa in Canada.
ReplyDeleteThese two thieves must have gone in search of under the table bag. They must have heard that those who go abroad like the tiatrists with their dramas, get lot of gifts from people. These two idiots must have thought to try out as they were sure to get some gifts. Hope no one gave them even a nickel.
ReplyDeleteWell said Dalia and Shyam. You two always manage to hit the nail right on the head and drive straight in.
ReplyDeleteGhanttis in Goa! Tourism spot is all over the beaches, villages and the places even us Goans still do not know. Thanks to our ministers who welcome them in the name of tourism. One tourism minister is down, another one is up. Up, down, up, down. The game will go on until we all Niz Goenkars stand up without going down. Viva Niz Goenkar. Viva Goa.
ReplyDeleteWhy are these clowns gone in search of North American tourists? What attraction is there in Goa? Besides sprouting welcoming shanty towns by the airport and other parts of Goa we have garbage littered all over Goa. Crime and drugs are the next attraction in Goa, Tourists being harassed by non-Goan Indians, Sexual assaults on women . To add to all this we have a few law enforcement personal harassing tourists demanding foreign currency. Where in the world can one find better attraction than these? Through Niz Goenkars we need to make sure Goa changes for the best. Unity is a must.
ReplyDeleteI know if you all try to remember the past years you must have spend in Goa. Please be informed that there is no such peace, tranquility that was prevailing during the olden days where our forefathers, fathers enjoyed in Goa. Now everything is gone for the dogs. If you remember the days where people from any part of Goa especially at the Morjim beach, the villagers used to welcome open heartily our grand parents and parents to their houses to spent a night or day for their annual sea water baths without charging anything and it was enjoyable to accompany them but now everything is the opposite. If you will see now the situation as explained above, you will definitely go back disappointed and disheartened. So it is better to refrain from coming to Goa because it is a waist of time and money. Viva Goa.
ReplyDeleteThis is all done to fool the Goans. These guys must have made a lot of money on this trip. No Canadian will come to Goa to spend their winter vacation. They would rather go to Cuba. This is all hogwash. Get rid of these crooks and the 40 chors.
ReplyDeleteViva Goa, Viva Goenkar,Viva Goan Unity. Goa for Goans.