Not all shacks are a winner along the Calangute-Candolim beach belt
India time | 9 hours ago | 30-09-2022 | 04:28
India time
9 hours ago | 30-09-2022 | 04:28
Calangute: Owners of beach shacks in remote areas along the Calangute-Candolim beach belt are unsure of starting their businesses in the coming season due to uncertainty over the arrival of tourists foreigners charter this year as well. This will be the third consecutive season. when there are questions about the arrival of foreign charter tourists, who make up the bulk of beach hut customers in many secluded parts of Calangute-Candolim beach. These are the places without proper road access and are away from the popular main beaches of Calangute-Baga which see high domestic tourist traffic. After the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown in March 2020 forced the shacks to close early, they have lost again in the 2020-21 season. Although 2021-22 began with hope, the war in Ukraine ended up dashing any hope of a revival of foreign charter arrivals for the state. This year too, with Europe in turmoil, expectations are low. “Last year, many cabin owners did not pay license renewal fees and did not install cabins due to the losses of the previous season. This year, the tourism department granted a renewal automatic, but increased the fees. I don’t think anyone in areas dependent on foreign tourists will be interested in setting up huts this season,” said the president of the Association of Traditional Huts Owners, Manuel Cardozo licenses, many operators in the prime areas of Baga and Calangute have already paid the increased fees, making it difficult for others, who have had no business in the past two seasons, to apply for a reduction in royalties. “They shouldn’t have raised the fee. Just because we asked for a one-year license extension doesn’t mean they’re raising the fee,” he said. last year also, the people concerned were unable to set up their cabins because they were unable to pay the fees. Now, just before the start of the season, the government has raised the fee. The people of Baga and Umtawaddo (Calangute) do not hesitate to pay more because they get better deals,” he said. they don’t expect others in isolated areas to get any relief. “The tourism department played a trick. They first sent messages to the owners of Baga and other privileged areas to pay the license fees. And once the fees are already paid, it becomes difficult for others to ask for a discount,” said one stakeholder.