Goa chief minister: ‘Need quality tourists, not quantity; Goa overfull with tourists’

“…We have seen the consequences of ‘quantity tourists’ coming to Goa. Goa is currently overfull…Getting ‘quality tourists’ will benefit everyone… from shack owners to taxi operators. If we want quality tourists, we have to provide quality services.”

Sawant said the tourist footfall in the state will increase once the tourists were assured of their safety, adding that the taxi app was a step in that direction.

He said the app will help reduce cost of commuting within the state for tourists, who often complain about high fares charged by local cabs.

“It would be unfair if a tourist had to shell out more for travelling within the state than the fare of a flight to the state. Tourists had been complaining that travelling to Goa from Mumbai by flight is cheaper than travelling to a hotel in Goa in a taxi,” he said.

Stressing that the stakeholders in tourism sector have to adopt technology to provide better services, Sawant said the government is taking several steps to improve the ease of living and happiness index of tourists visiting Goa.

Sawant said, “The Goa Taxi App shall offer our Goan Taxi operators a technology backed large market platform at best rates. I urge all Taxi operators to embrace the innovative tool for a better, safe, reliable, consumer friendly taxi business in the state…The taxi operators who do not wish to join Goa Miles now have the option of enrolling with the Goa Taxi app.”

Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said the ‘Goa Taxi App’ has been operational at the Manohar International Airport in Mopa for the past six months and over 500 taxi operators have joined the app.

Khaunte said the taxi operators enrolled with the app can avail benefits such as the pension scheme, financial help in marriages and scholarships for their children.

“Tourism is the main vertical of the state’s economy. To increase the contribution of tourism to state’s GDP, we should be talking about quality tourists, rather than quantity,” he added.