PANAJI: Congress MLA Carlos Alvares Ferreira has demanded that Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte be relieved of his portfolio, citing Goa's declining tourism sector and ineffective management.
"I once had high hopes that our Tourism Minister would do good work, but unfortunately, he is underperforming. Tourism is on the decline. He should be relieved of the portfolio," Ferreira demanded while addressing a press conference.
He further criticized the government's tourism promotion strategies, particularly foreign promotions in places like New York’s Times Square. Ferreira, Goa's former Advocate General, also noted a shift from high-spending charter tourists to budget travellers.
"Instead of coming by charter flights, we are now getting tourists arriving by tracks. They bring their own food, cook on the roadside, litter, and engage in illicit activities. Is this the kind of tourism we want," he questioned.
He further questioned the accuracy of tourism data provided in the assembly. "The government claims that 2023 data is still being compiled, yet they provide figures for foreign tourists. If you don’t have country-specific data, how do you compile overall numbers? It takes over a year to get complete figures, and this inefficiency affects crime monitoring and governance," he said as he also raised concerns over Goa's deteriorating law and order situation, citing increasing drug-related crimes and the involvement of uniformed personnel in illegal activities.
