Beach shacks showcase Goan cuisine, not allowed to be rented to non-Goans'

BJP MLA Michael Lobo has reacted to his reported remarks that IdliSambhar sold in beachshacks is one reason behind the decline in tourism in GoaMLA Lobo said that he never said that people should not eat Idli Sambhar in GoaThe beach shacks that lie on the beaches of Goa are given to traditional Goan inhabitants The beach shacks are about showcasing Goan cuisine and seafood that can be sold The beach shacks are not allowed to be subleased or rented to nonGoans to set up a business venture They can set it up on the other side of the road or above the beach he told ANI on FridayFurther he expressed concerns over the decline in foreign tourism to Goa attributing it to a combination of factors including negative publicity and a lack of interest from social media influencersSpeaking to ANI Lobo called for a collective effort from the government the Tourism Department and all stakeholders to address the issue and restore the states tourism industryIn the last few years we have seen a huge decline in foreign tourists visiting Goa I addressed a press conference yesterday stating that stakeholders are also responsible for this decline In the last four months we have seen Goa tourism receive a lot of negative publicity Social media influencers have not shown much interest in Goa The government the Tourism Department CM Pramod Sawant and all the stakeholders must sit together and implement corrective measures Lobo saidLobo emphasized the need for corrective measures to revive Goas beach tourism which he believes has been significantly affected in recent monthsAs a coastal belt MLA I have witnessed this decline on a daily basis All stakeholders must take responsibility to bring back the lost glory of beach tourism in Goa the BJP MLA saidOn January 13 Goa Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte strongly opposed claims of a decline in the Countrys tourism industry citing robust growth numbers to counter the narrativeHe said that Goas tourism industry will continue to thrive and hes determined to put a plug on the story of Goas travel declineSpeaking at the Goa Tourism Stakeholder Conclave Khaunte revealed that the state saw a 21 per cent increase in overall footfall in 2024 with DecembertoDecember growth jumping by 54 per cent compared to 2023Responding to the claims on social media about the decline in Goa tourism Khaunte said In the last quarter we had a continuous attack In December we had to decide whether to counter it or wait for the numbers and then talk about it Taking to CM and board numbers we decided to wait We have comfortably sailed as per the numbersHe also highlighted that the last week of December 2024 saw a record of 200 flights per day