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Goa port could be blacklisted as cruise liners on verge of calling off trips
Operators want to know why they shouldn’t cancel their voyages to Goa as muscle flexing of taxis persists; if Goa port is blacklisted, it will take more than six years to convince them to come back
Team Herald
PANJIM: Brand Goa has taken a hit as three voyages of a prominent cruise liner scheduled to visit the State in January are on the verge of cancellations.
The cancellations are sought due to boorish behaviour of the taxi union at Mormugao.
They prevented cruise passengers from boarding their buses.
An assault on the driver of the tourist coach driver allegedly by the taxi union has enraged the tourism industry.
There have been alarm bells across the cruise tourism industry as the local taxi union obstructed and got into a confrontation with a tour bus operator. The operator was supposed to take 100 cruise tourists for shore excursion which was obstructed by the taxi union members.
The tour operators have informed that several cruise liners have sent communications seeking reasons as to why they shouldn’t cancel their voyage to Goa if there are continuous ground challenges.
Deepak Lotlikar of Travelsmith said, “A French cruise liner is on a verge of cancelling their voyage to Goa that was planned on January 2, 20 and 26. They want to know the measures that have been taken by the State to ensure the safety of tourists coming on cruise liners.”
The Government has spent Rs 200 cr on improvement of the cruise terminal at Mormugao. However, the lacklustre approach towards the tourists coming to Goa on cruise boats has put the entire business to shame.
“If Goa port is blacklisted it will take more than six years to convince them to come back to Goa which is a dangerous sign for quality tourism,” Lotlikar added.
Luxury coach provider files police complaint
MARGAO: In connection with the cruise ship incident that took place on Wednesday, Darryl Nunes, partner at J P Nunes & Sons that provides air-conditioned luxury coaches, has filed a police complaint with the Mormugao Police Inspector on Thursday about the assault on his coach driver Joaquim Vaz, who was driving the coach bearing registration number GA-07-F-8679.
“The coach along with the driver was booked by Le Passage to India Tours & Travels Pvt Ltd, to take the guests from the international Cruise Liner “Ocean Odyssey”, which visited the Mormugao Port on 14.12.2022,” said Nunes in his complaint letter.
“When my coach reached the gate, he was stopped by the local taxi union leaders and several taxi drivers and was brutally assaulted by them. He reported to us last night that he was bleeding in one ear,” Nunes added.
“We request you to register the complaint and take severe lawful actions against these anti-social elements who have done this act and who are also destroying the good and fair image of Goa,” Nunes further added.
However, as on Thursday night, the Mormugao Police had not yet registered any FIR in connection to this complaint.
It may be recalled that on Thursday morning, the Chief Minister had given assurance that if the driver was assaulted, offences would be registered.
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