MICE keeps business going in Goa
Tourist help centres should be opened up at various points and a separate wing of Tourist Police should be raised to patrol areas majorly thronged by tourists, feel Goa hoteliers.
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the last year, Goa has embarked on a 360degree targeted campaign, proactively pitching the state as a holiday destination to European countries, Scandinavia, Russia, CIS countries and the east, including Japan. Domestic visitors have helped the tourism industry prosper in a big way. In 2011, a total of 22.25 lakh domestic tourists visited Goa as against 22.01 lakh domestic tourists who turned up in 2010. This demand driver for hotels in Goa, but MICE is the segment which keeps business going in the state. During March to May, which are the shoulder months, the hotels host ample conferences and conventions. Franco Rienzo, General Manager, The Zuri White Sands, Goa Resort & Casino, feels the line of distinction between a leisure and business property has diminished in Goa because of the major developments in the MICE segment over the last 10 years. It has, thus, conferences/training programmes/incentives are usually planned in summer. Lately, there has been a fall in corporate and leisure movement due to increase in air fares and on account of the economic instability in Europe. Conference bookers are quite cost conscious and look for value-formoney options.
Talking about the evolution in the hospitality sector in Goa, Shridhar Nair, General Manager, The Leela Goa, says, “With regards to the positioning of hotels, an interesting transition in the hospitality sector has been witnessed. Till around 10 years back, the tourism industry, especially the five star hotel segment, was thriving on European and Russian tourists who would visit Goa between October and March. Now, the trend has changed with the significant growth in the spending habits of the Indian tourists who are flocking to Goa in the summer and monsoon months between April and September. Apart from this, the opening up of the economy has also resulted in a spurt of MICE and corporate activity in Goa, and this has led to hotels getting busier in the so-called off-season months.”
Be it new rules and regulations on the beach, reports of the ceiling falling off or rape cases, Goa, as a destination, is going through a lot of churning. Major issues still revolve around providing basic facilities to tourists such as toilets on beaches, overall cleanliness of beaches, crowd management in tourist areas, etc.
On whether these incidences have marred the reputation of the state in some manner, Rajeev Sharma, General Manager, Kenilworth Resort & Spa, Goa, informs, “To a certain extent, yes. But the current steps being taken by the present administration for ensuring security and safety of the tourists by initiating prompt action, increasing patrolling of the troubled areas, identifying the troublemakers and putting across in strongest terms to the politicians supporting such miscreants, that in case they indulge in any unlawful activity, action shall be taken against them, has reduced such incidents considerably. To make it more effective, tourist help centres should be opened up at various points and a separate wing of Tourist Police should be raised to patrol areas majorly thronged by tourists.”
Jaidka opines, “In order to correct this negative pub- licity, the state government should run a focussed marketing blitz highlighting the steps they have taken to improve Goa’s safety and security by installing CCTVs and increased patrolling. They should drive an image of fun and relaxation and showcase the customer experience of tourists in Goa.”
Jaidka believes that the hospitality sector should take certain steps in order to keep the flag of Goan hospitality high and help the image of Goa to evolve further, which includes marketing where hotels should invest in building Goa as a destination. They should run marketing programmes to highlight the international experience one gets in Goa. “Improving hygiene standards, especially, along the beaches and in shacks, is vital to the growth of hospitality in the state. Audit hotels and ensure they match their star category – the tourist should get what he pays for and nothing less. It is essential to meet expectations and give visitors a reason to come back again,” he explains. Introducing hotel schools so that Goa can build talent and nurture it and launching new destinations/beaches in the area would give visitors another reason to spend leisure time in Goa, Jaidka feels. Lemon Tree in Goa also makes an effort to keep the Candolim beach clean along with the local authorities.
Goa needs to develop more innovative points of interest to not only retain existing markets but also create new ones, Rienzo argues. “Value-driven experiences are the need of the moment to counter the threat from competitively priced alternate markets like the Far East. Other initiatives would include better-regulated pricing controls and policies to provide fair transport options (taxis), more effective garbage management practices, better law and order, etc. Preservation of heritage sites is also high on the list. If Goa’s hotels and administration comes together to work on this, it will not be a difficult task to achieve,” he believes.
On whether hospitality in Goa still continues to be a dearer proposition for an average Indian traveller, Sharma claims, “Rationality in pricing is the need of the moment as we are now competing with destinations in the Far East like Thailand and Malaysia. If we continue on the current path, we will be in danger of outpricing ourselves. Goan hospitality is certainly not a dearer option. It is priced at the same level as any other city in India or even less.”