Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji (MS)

Panaji, Jul 3: Implementation of revised fee and license rules for tourist traders is not yet done by the state government. Though the new fee structure was introduced in the early part of this year, the traders urged the government not to take more fees from them due to the ongoing pandemic and downfall in their business.

According to a senior official of the tourism department, the government may at the most give the traders in tourism some relaxation for a few months if it comes to know after an assessment that most of the traders have not paid the revised fees.

The officer said that for up class hotels the revised fee should be a very meager amount. The department has not taken any final decision on whether the new fee structure should be put on hold.

According to the new rules, all those who are engaged in tourist-related trades have to register themselves. In addition, the fee for the same was also hiked considerably. The tourism industry however had expressed their disappointment when the revised rules were introduced last November as they said that the new fee and license rules are being implemented at a time when the industry has suffered most due to pandemics.

The association of tourism traders of Goa TTAG (Travel and Tourism Association of Goa) had asked the government to postpone the implementation of the new tariff for few months till the Covid pandemic situation cleared.

The renewal fee for beach shacks was reduced by half last season by the tourism department. According to a shack operator, most of those involved in the trade wound up their season business by February-March of 2020 which is a good two to three months earlier than their scheduled close. They have asked for a similar relaxation for the coming season as well.