Goa Tourism Packages pay good dividends

The introduction of Monsoon tourism in Goa was formally launched in the year 2009 and it has already begun to pay rich dividends with a steady stream of tourists pouring in the state of Goa with the various hotels at Goa witnessing over 55 percent occupancy in the introductory year of 2009 and enhancing the figures to an impressive 65 percent for the year 2010 thereby fuelling the cause of Goa tourism’s smart endeavors in promoting an innovative brand of tourism to attract tourists to Goa.

In the current year the arrival of tourists during the monsoons in Goa ha been very positive and the occupancy levels are already bordering on the 70 percent mark which is a good indicator for the rest of the monsoon season. The whole exercise of promoting Goa tourism packages for the monsoon season were done by Goa tourism on the strength of only Goa’s natural resources and the department of Goa tourism have reached out to the tourists across the country and to the rest of the world by the catchy slogan that if one wished “ to see Goa at its best then the Monsoon season in Goa was the best time to do so”. As such no additional features or infrastructural changes have been added to the Monsoon package endeavors which makes the campaign quite commendable.

However to compensate for the additional absence of facilities. the Hotels at Goa are making efforts to compensate for the same by offering attractive packages to tourists to woo them to Goa and thereby making their holiday a cheaper holiday to Goa. Many hotels in Goa have also engaged in tie-ups with various airline companies to induce cheap flights to Goa in a bid to entice tourists to find enough motivation of making the trip to Goa.

The figures of tourists coming to Goa in the last few seasons is therefore a pointer to the success of the endeavors of Goa tourism. In the monsoon season of 2009 beginning from June till September, 3,59,536 tourists arrived in Goa. A number which shot up in the same period in 2010 to 3,76,450 tourists thereby registering a healthy growth of over 17,000 tourists compared to the previous year . Or a percentage increase of around 5 percent.

The foreigners coming to Goa during the monsoon season are also not charter tourists but free independent travellers(FITs). From the total tourists in the monsoon of 2009, a huge majority of 3,43,726 travelers were India’s own domestic tourists coming to Goa, while foreigners coming to the state in the period were accounted at 15,810. In the year 2010 the tourists arrival pattern was 3,58,745 domestic tourists and number of foreigners aggregated to around 17,705

Many tourists coming to Goa from various parts of India find Goa a great thrill to enjoy their monsoons as the rains in Goa are a unique experience adding to the charm of their holidays. Such rains are often not experienced by tourists in any other part of India and therefore the whole experience is a very refreshing one for many tourists in Goa with many of them preferring to get drenched in the frolic of Goa’s rains thereby immersing themselves ion the fun of the monsoons in Goa.

Some other tourists are awestruck by the sense of greenery prevailing in Goa and the lush green arms and field sin Goa have been their personal memories of Goa to carry back home with promises of coming back again to savour the Goa experience once more. Some other tourists also move in the interior villages of Goa to get a feel of the real Goa so that they can enjoy Goa’s beauty to the maximum.

Encouraged by the stupendous success of the monsoon campaign of Goa tourism packages, the department of Tourism in Goa conducted a major campaign lasting 17 days from 14 June to 30 June 2011 in regional newspapers in the country inviting tourists to experience the monsoon in Goa. As a result, the response was forthcoming and domestic tourists and international visitors were continuously arriving in the state to spend their monsoon holiday in Goa.

The campaign also brought in new demands form the department of tourism in Goa to handle the huge response thereby forcing them to employ additional staff to respond to various calls made by the prospective tourists seeking more information.Goa tourism's website has also recorded a huge number of hits following the campaign launch.

The department for tourism is also toying with the idea of ensuring that tourists coming to Goa are treated well by Goans and on these lines they have mooted the thought of  launching a campaign to create awareness among Goans to be more friendlier to tourists coming to the state and is planning its campaign on the lines of “Atithi Devo bhava”, which would be streamed on local news channels and radio and would feature Goan stage artistes. An educational campaign for tourists of an advisory nature is also expected to be launched to benefit tourists about the Dos and Don'ts while on a holiday to the land of the sea sun and sand which is Goa indeed.

The Indien Goa that Europeans love

Goa is known as the "Rome of the East" in many western travel books and reviews. It is also referred to as "Indien goa" by many countries in their own language. Indien being for India, Goa has caught a fascination for these tourists, be they from Germany, Sweden or Denmark, their favorite destination in India is definitely Indien Goa.

For many years, Indien Goa with its natural beauty and God given generous array of stunning beaches has been the source of attraction for tourists from across the globe with holiday bound visitors flocking to the state for a tour of the various religious and historical places in the state besides the beautiful beaches and the aromatic spice farms which hold a special charm for tourists arriving in Goa.

Tourism in Indien Goa has provided numerous opportunities for many Goans with the hotel industry of Goa accounting for the maximum heads of employment. The beach shacks and the tourist taxis operating in Goa have also been a major employment generator for Goans who have made the most of the tourism bug hitting the state. Add to that list the rent-a-bike operators, garment stores etc and the business has certainly improved with the increase in tourism.

The hotel industry in Goa being the major magnet for employment to Goans, it has also proved to be a good platform for Goans to gain experience through the various hotels operating in the state to gain the requisite experience in the field of hospitality and thereby equip themselves with the necessary certification to secure better prospects int the middle east and the most coveted jobs which Goans flock to - the cruise lines.

For tourists North Goa and south Goa are two broadly divided areas which offer different experiences in Goa tourism. While some love north Goa for being the vibrant tourism belt of Goa there are others who would swear by south Goa owing to its serenity and tranquil surroundings to compliment the beauty of the beach locations. North Goa is considered more lively in terms of fun parties, discos and other entertainment filled beach fests and shows unlike the calmness prevailing in south Goa.

In recent times the star hotels are organizing their own tours for their guests thus ensuring that their fringe activities add to their economics of scale. The well off tourists are therefore attracted by the tours of the star hotels and the budgeted tourists normally depend on the services of Goa tours offered by local Goans in Goa. Rent-a bike facility is also very popular among tourists arriving in Goa for a holiday as it gives them the opportunity of discovering Goa on their own and without the hassle of being tied down to a large group in a bus or a van. Rent-a-bike facilites are offered at almost every location in Goa and one can see various rent-a-bike Honda Activa scooters being used by tourists to move around freely in Goa. Some tourists do prefer the luxury of the taxis and the vans as they can afford to see Goa at their own leisure and pace while being ferried around.

The beach shacks in Goa have also seen tremendous business pouring in from loyal tourists who prefer the beach shacks in comparison to the regular hotels or the starred restaurants as the beach shacks are known to offer traditional food which is believed to be the actual Goan taste as locals prepare the food themselves and the seafood is a great way to start your meal at a good beach shack in Indien Goa.

Charter flights to goa - East Europe edges out UK

The United Kingdom played second fiddle to Eastern Europe for the second consecutive year , maintaining its dominance in the number of charter flights to Goa this year. Goa's tourism department recently released the recorded statistics of Charter arrivals in Goa which revealed a total number of 781 charter flights to Goa which carried a total of 1,56,541 tourists to Goa hailing from twelve different international destinations since the start of the tourist season in October.

The international countries include United Kingdom(UK), France, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Denmark, Russia, Poland, Norway, Finland, Iran and Kazakhstan. The records have also pointed out that Goa has continuously seen a positive increase in the flow of tourists for countries in Eastern Europe including Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Belarus.

The statistics have recorded over 392 charter flights to Goa arriving from Russia with around 81,437 travelers in comparison to around 216 charter flights arriving in Goa from the United Kingdom with 50,872 English tourists on holiday to Goa. The Following is the detailed list of Charter tourists arriving in Goa from the above countries in the outgoing season

United Kingdom---- 216 Charter Flights
Russia ------------- 392 Charter Flights
Germany ---------- 33 Charter Flights
Netherlands ------- 27 Charter Flights
Finland ----------- 23 Charter Flights
Norway ----------- 21 Charter Flights
Poland ------------ 20 Charter Flights
Kazakhstan- ------- 17 Charter Flights
Denmark ---------- 13 Charter Flights
Switzerland --------- 13 Charter Flights
Iran ---------------- 04 Charter Flights
France ------------- 02 Charter Flights

The tourism industry in Goa believes that the trend is a positive signal about the increasing popularity of Goa across the countries of Eastern Europe with those countries opting for Goa as their holiday destination.

However the charter flights coming to Goa may nor provide an accurate picture about the exact number of tourists arriving to Goa from UK as there are many tourists from the United Kingdom arriving to Goa via Mumbai since the connectivity of these flights is considered to be better. But for tourists arriving from countries like Russia and other such East European countries, the charter route is preferable.

It has also been observed that Russia's new cities have added keen interest in the Goa holiday packages. While traditionally the cities of St Petersburg and Moscow were key markets attracting tourists to Goa, it can be now seen that six or seven more cities in Russia have added themselves to the Goa tourism bug. The trend clearly points out to more Eastern Europeans opting for Goa as their favorite holiday destination and the success of these numbers is attributed to the increasing marketing efforts by the tourism industry in Goa through the state tourism department.

Goa also recorded the highest number of Charter arrivals in the months of January and December with the month of December 2010 accounting for 167 flights and January 2011 aggregating 187 flights to Goa.

Tourist arrivals to Goa have therefore seen a definite increase in the flow of domestic and foreign tourists and the increase in this year 2010 is gauged at around 5% over the previous year of 2009. Over 781 charter flights have arrived in Goa from various countries in Europe in the present tourist season in Goa. the department of tourism in Goa is therefore content to have ended the season on a very healthy note and are very keen to promote more tourism related activities for Goa in the forthcoming tourist season.

Goa tourism to get a boost from GTDC

The mood to give tourism in Goa a good boost seems to have found new favour with the Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) deciding to unveil a slew of proposals in that direction. Among the proposals, are plans to develop the various tourist properties of GTDC on the public private partnership mode and also to purchase a luxury cruise vessel to promote a new facet of tourism - "cruise tourism" in Goa. Also on the cards is the introduction of an air-conditioned hop-on-hop-off bus service in a hot tourism sector of north Goa.

The GTDC has therefore decided to appoint a reputed consultant for aiding the body in providing the necessary project development advisory services for the maintenance and development of various properties of the GTDC on the PPP model. The idea is to create the best possible alternatives at various GTDC properties for promotion of tourism and to enable world class infrastructure aimed at promoting hinterland tourism, educational tourism, adventure sports, floating marinas etc in a bid to generate additional revenue for the GTDC and also to re-invent idle assets into revenue generating assets.

GTDC has currently over 35 landed properties all over the state in both coastal and hinterland areas which have a great potential for development and revenue generation through proper utilisation. The total investment in various PPP projects is roughly estimated to be in the region of 450 to 500 crores.

The tenders for the appointment of consultants are expected to be floated in the near future so that the contemplated projects are made operational within a span of one year.

Goa : Bollywood's beach-eyed baby

For Bollywood, Goa has been a favourite destination to camp for shooting since the sixties when Bollywood producers and directors seem to have woken up to a landslide beauty next door to Mumbai. The trend therefore began in the sixties with the legendary Manoj Kumar  shooting "Ghum Naam"  and since then there has been little looking back for the bollywood film industry which has found Goa to be the ideal foil to most of their plots

Goans will not forget the presence of their Goan beaches in the unforgettable romantic tragedy titled " Ek Duuje Ke Liye" which starred Kamal Hassan and Rati Agnihotri in the lead pair, with the beach of Dona Paula as their favourite haunt and the stories of that beach being woven around the storyline of that movie. Of course, in recent times there have been blockbusters such as "Dil Chahta Hai" and "Josh" to name a few.

Over the times, it has not only been Bollywood, but also the south Indian film industry which has caught the fascination for Goa and other vernacular film industries have taken good notice of the Goan touch and beauty to ensure that their shooting schedule has Goa as their favourite stopover. Besides, Hollywood has also shown keen interest in the state of Goa for shooting their movies. Therefore Goa now sees itself as a hotspot fro all film shootings, serials, documentaries , video clips for advertisements, calendar shoots, portfolio shoots, Photography clinics etc.

Earlier, Goa had no special body to grant licences for film shoots. However after Goa began hosting the "international film festival of India" since 2004, the ESG or the Entertainment Society of Goa took birth and it is now the body to grant the permission for any shooting to be done in Goa.

How to undertake film shooting in Goa

To carry out film shooting in Goa, Line producers who are the initiators of the shoot should contact the ESG and give details of their schedule with dates and the locations of the film shooting in Goa. Thereafter, depending in the type of location chosen, the ESG contacts the departments concerned surrounding that particular location. For instance, if the location is a beach, the tourism department is contacted. The concerned department gets back to the ESG and upon the compilation of all the necessary permissions and grants, the ESG prepares one main slip which okays the shooting. The entire procedure takes a period of about 10 days.

The ESG also states its clauses and conditions of the shooting in Goa and these are mentioned in the permission slip given to the line producers. The major conditions being that there should be no hindrance to the flow of traffic or human activity at the places of shooting, no shooting to be undertaken inside an archaeological structure, no nudity and no garbage to be left behind. Generally most beaches in the Vasco-da-Gama area of Goa are banned due to the naval presence in the area. The ESG is expected to enforce these conditions strictly and any contraventions by the shooting team are to be penalised.

Film shootings in Goa are therefore more organised now than before and the government of Goa works together with the ESG in a co-ordinated pattern ensuring that the filmmakers find the experience of obtaining permissions and shooting in Goa to be a very pleasant one. Goa naturally has an interest in film shootings as it only helps to showcase Goa to the rest of the world as a tourist destination thereby increasing its market potential and as a result adding to the revenues of the state.

Goa casinos facing rough political weather

The bad dream of the casinos in Goa does not appear to leave them very soon. On Monday 27th July 2009, the tourism Minister Mr Micky Pacheco informed the legislative assembly that he would seal all illegal activities on five of the six off shore casinos whose No Objection certificates have since expired. The Minister was responding to repeated demands and queries made by the opposition leader Manohar Parrikar who was asking as to why the government was not putting a stop to casino operations in the state when the NOC's issued by the captain of ports had already expired.

Joining the chorus against the casino operations in Goa were congress MLAs Victoria Fernandes and Mauvin Godinho who demanded a ban on casinos and sought to know how casinos are operating in Goa despite the absence of a casino policy in the state.

In a reply to Parrikar about the details of when the licences of the casinos had expired, the tourism minister gave an account of the NOC expiry dates as below

Name of Casino                             Date of expiry of NOC

Pride of Goa          -------------   April 3 2009
The Leela             -------------   January 30 2009
Casino Royale        -------------   February 18 2009
San Domino           -------------   May 19 2009
Caravela               -------------   April 18 2009

Mr Pacheco added that the NOC of Arabian Sea King is slated to expire on October 30 2009. In the meanwhile the casino operators expressed their shock over the decision of the tourism minister to the Goa legislative assembly  and blamed the government for delaying the issuance of licences on the ground that the matter was sub judice.

Casino operators indicated that the current stance of the government could adversely affect over 2000 employees working in the casinos and suggested a paycut eventuality on a gradual basis to offset the closure period.

GTDC to float Goa's own cruise ship

The Goa Tourism Development corporation will soon float a tender for a cruise ship with the latest state of the art facilities and a 250 person seating capacity to float in Goa's rivers which is expected to benefit tourism in Goa in a big way. The tender will be open to shipyards in Goa who will also be eligible to bid for the same. The Cruise ship is expected to be incorporated with emerging features such as GSM, satellite services, latest sound systems, total air-conditioning, LCD televisions, Wi-fi systems and a full fledged restaurant with smaller food courts.

The cruise which will be around 50 metres long and 11 metres wide, will have a capacity to seat 250 people and will be running on a powerful engine and high speeds. In its ambitious plans the department of tourism wants to offer tourists bound for Goa, a thrilling opportunity of experiencing the entire stretch of the Mandovi river region in Goa within one journey through the cruise ship.The cruise will not be limited to shallow waters and will be able to venture out into the deep sea.

The ship is also expected to be leased out to the Corporates for private gatherings, conferences and late night parties, deep in the sea with music at full-blast with no disturbances to the local people of Goa.

Now "Goencars" on hospitality list of Goa tourism

The "Goencar" or as some write the Indian way as  "Goenkar", or for some people who like to refer to the people of Goa as "Goanese", there seems to be a lot of attention pouring towards this typical Goan in the times of off-season for the tourism industry in Goa where the tourists have steadily dissappeared and currently the eye seems to have shifted to focus on local "Goencars" to come and indulge in some fun and playtime with a few perks here and there to urge them out from the comforts of their Goan homes into the fattened ambience of starred hotels in Goa.

So it is common these days to receive emails and sms over mobile tempting the Goan with a "much necessary" weekend recharge, a sumptuous buffet or a brunch( they call it breakfast and lunch put together), a swimming pool dip, some dancing and partying added with some games for the kids if you have them and a well-dressed-down tariff to suit the imaginations and make your decision ooze out a little faster.

In a way it has been a kind of stretching out to the local Goan community by the hotel fraternity in Goa who seem to be trying to cover their costs in the off-season with some bait for the locals to bite. It is also a good public relation(read PR) exercise for the hotel industry in Goa  as a means of reaching out to Goans by offering discounted packages as above and thereby instilling a sense of goodwill in the Goencars.

The cost per person at the above detailed 'weekend rechargers" is anything between 1,300 - 1800 per person inclusive of food and sometimes unlimited drinks. A weekend recharge normally also includes a room, high tea, dinner, breakfast, Goan lunch and drinks which may be unlimited in certain hotels in Goa.

The perception that the hotel industry is toying with is the fact that Goans hardly need to venture out of Goa since Goa itself is a beautiful place which many Goans have not enjoyed to the hilt. Also monsoons are considered as the best time to venture outside with family and friends besides being a cheaper option in the off-season. A getaway such as this often leads to a recharge of the mind and body and tends to keep you freshly charged for your next routine at the end of the weekend.

The short gasp of the holiday can also be a big boost for the children in Goa who have been typeset with holidays squeezed in only during the vacation period and then have to pour on their books in Goa before the next vacation troops in. Such a short weekend burst tends to soothe children as a pleasant surprise and gives them a short and much needed break from their studies and helps to keep them in a healthy state of mind to recharge their energies.

There are some hotels in Goa which come up with unique catchy captions to promote their weekend bouquets and added with a low cost, such offers become hard to resist. A hotel in north Goa offers a thrill in oriental cuisine at a bargain price of Rs 375/- per person and one has a choice to pick from a  variety in oriental food. The swimming pool is thrown in this package as an incentive and the response is reportedly astounding with families, friends and even the corporate clients pitching in to enjoy the short lived joy.

Another factor that urges people to go in for these short bursts of a holiday is the ease on the pocket which is an affordable deal in the off season. Also the kind of professional service, great food and lovely ambience along with some royal treatment makes these recharge packages very popular in Goa.

It is therefore evident that Goans are now changing in their attitude towards a holiday in Goa itself and many are opening their arms to some good offers from the hotel industry. Besides, Goans also realise that despite being in Goa since birth, most Goans have only ventured to the Goan beaches while most of Goa has not been seen or experienced. The hinterland of Goa is therefore a great attraction for Goans to explore and the tourism for Goans should therefore be directed in that area so that Goans know their Goa better  and enjoy it at the same time.

By Goacom

Enjoy Goa in the monsoons-Goa tourism campaigns

The bountiful rainfall in the month of July has certainly egged the business acumen of the tourism industry in the state of Goa and the state government now wants to reap the benefits of such an abundant outpouring from the skies by launching a massive campaign all over the country especially in the dry north India to woo tourists to the state of Goa to enjoy the green, clean and friendly Goa during the monsoons.

The state of Goa has been fortunate to receive a bountiful rainfall as is normal in Goa  in the monsoon. The rains have however not ventured into some areas of the country and the north and west of India is still experiencing scorching heat. Goa is estimated to have received over 1,553 mm rainfall till date with over 51.4 mm received only during the last 24 hours itself.

The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG)has approached the state government to step up its drive to promote the state in the Indian tourism market. TTAG has proposed two suggestions which include the revival of the "Goa 365 days"  tourism campaign which was pointed out as a catchy phrase and was recollected as being a successful campaign. The other suggestion is to aggressively promote Goa through advertisements in various travel magazines and news publications in markets which are Goa friendly according to the TTAG President Mr Ralph de Sousa.

On its part the tourism department has suggested campaigns on radio stations such as FM stations across the country in the form of jingles and advertisements which is expected to do the trick. Presently the GTDC has an average of 60% occupancy at its residences on the Goan coastline in Calangute, Miramar, Panjim and Colva. It is believed that it is much cooler in Goa in the rains and as a result  a lot of tourists from northern India make Goa their most favourite destination at this time of the year.

The Goa tourism Development Corporation is also expected to take part in the travel and trade fair at Kolkata which commences from July 11, the international travel mart at Bangalore from July 18 and another trade fair at Ahmedabad in Gujarat from July 31. These moves are being strategically planned at a time when the hotels in Goa have reduced their room tariffs but have however met limited success in attracting larger number of tourists to Goa.

Meanwhile the state of Goa has been sanctioned over Rs 43 crore by the central government for integrated development of infrastructure for heritage and river cruise development on the two Goan rivers of Mandovi and Zuari. Under the plan, the infrastructure expected due to the project is a new stat of the art "finger jetty" model for Santa Monica jetty in Panaji which berths cruise boats operating in the Mandovi river. Besides in the vicinity, a multi storeyed parking facility, reception area, cafeteria and boat cruise offices will be coming up.

Tourist arrivals in India on the surge

After the double blow received unexpectedly in the form of world recession which was compounded further by the 26/11 Mumbai attacks, the tourism industry in the country is finally showing signs of a steady recovery and the upturn is witnessed with tourist arrivals registering a healthy positive growth for the first time in over six months. While the increase may be a shade marginal over last year, the turnaround itself is raising sounds of cheers amongst the tourism fraternity and the tourism ministry is also upbeat since the foreign exchange earnings have also gone up by over Rs 400 crore.

According to data collected by the tourism ministry, the foreign tourist arrivals increased from 3.40 lakh in June 2008 to 3.41 lakh in June 2009 while foreign exchange has gone up from Rs 3,409 crore to Rs 3,801 crore for the same period. Although the growth in the number of tourists may be marginal, it has demonstrated that the Visit India campaign and the various roadshows have made a contribution to arrest the decline within a period of over six months

The last six months were however not very good for the tourism  sector. In January-June 2009, the number of tourist arrivals in the state was recorded ar 24.678 lakh, which is down from 27.19 lakh in 2008 for the same period. India has recorded a fall of over 10% in the flow of foreign nationals traveling to the country since the November 26 terror attacks in Mumbai last year.

Mamata includes Margao railway station for world class plans

After local Goan politicians of the Congress were crying sore over the ill treatment meted out to Goa by not mentioning its name at all in the railway budget presented by the Railways Minister Ms Mamata Banerjee last week, the railway Minister seems to have heard all the grievances of the congressmen from Goa and now appears to have made amendments to her budgeted speech by including Goa in her list as a station awaiting upgradation to world class facilities.

It does seem that Mamata has realised late that Goa does figure on the railway map of India. She mentioned Goa while replying to a marathon debate on the Railway budget which was passed by  a voice vote in the Lok sabha on Thursday.

Announcing that more railway stations in the country would be upgraded to world class status, Mamata Banerjee announced the names of Goa and Calicut, thus adding to the list of fifty stations already mentioned by her for this purpose. The Margao Railway station (also known as the MADGAON railway station) in South Goa was thus included into this elite list and can now be expected to be upgraded to world class status.

The railway minister was criticised by Goa politicians for ignoring the state in her presentation of the budget proposal last week where Goa's name did not figure in her scheme of things. Among other things, politicians in Goa have sought the introduction of special trains for Goa, it being a famous tourist destination in the world. The Chief Minister of Goa  Mr Digambar Kamat welcomed the new announcement made by Ms Mamata Banerjee and thanked her for the same.

Goa Festival "Chikhal Kalo" in Marcel

ChiKhal Kalo is yet another Goan festival which is linked to the prevailing Goan season, just as many other Goan festivals which are celebrated as per the cycles of nature and going by the revelry of the ChiKhal Kalo it is indeed not surprising that the festival is celebrated in the monsoon season in Goa as it does seem that without the monsoon the festival would not be as frolicking as it turns out to be every year at this time of the monsoon season.

The Chikhal Kalo is a virtual mud play and is unique to the village of Marcel, in the taluka of Ponda. Celebrated on the twelfth day of the fourth month of Ashadh in the Hindu calendar, the festival is dedicated to Krishna in his childhood stage which is Bal-Krishna.

This year the festival was celebrated on a Saturday 4th July 2009, wherein Goan Hindus in Marcel are dressed in only their lower body garments such as short vests and frolic in the muck (ChiKhal)  by playing some traditional Goan games or some sporting games spontaneously. The whole scene takes place in front of the Devaki-Krishna temple in Marcel.

The festival of ChiKhal Kalo is believed to have been traditionally celebrated in Marcel as a portrayal of baby Lord Krishna who loved to play with his friends in Vrindavan and in Marcel it is celebrated as a sign of gratitude to Krishna.

The idol of Devaki-Krishna is believed to be originally hailing from the island of Chorao in Tiswadi taluka and was said to be taken to Marcel to evade the Portuguese wrath in the days of the erstwhile regime's rule in Goa.

ChiKhal Kalo is celebrated in Marcel where everyone from the village comes together sinking all their differences and celebrate ChiKhal Kalo by singing devotional songs and playing a variety of games. On the eleventh day of Ashadh, a saptak or non-stop performance of devotional songs is carried on in the temple of Devaki-Krishna. No sooner  the saptak concludes, the villagers from Marcel come together at the temple and invoke the folk deity Dad Sakhal with sounds of the drums, cymbals and bells with chants of 'jai hari vithal" renting the air.

As soon as the chanting ends, the real fun begins. Everybody first applies oil on their bodies which is taken from a huge brass lamp standing in the temple hall and wearing only their lower garments, the young and the old enter the open ground in front of the temple to prance in the rain drenched muddy waters( Chikhal) .

While the participants in the whole Chikhal Kalo indulge in a spontaneous frolic with games, devotional songs and chants being sung, those standing on the sidelines under the peepal tree close-by, shower different kinds of missiles such as sweets, ladoos, puran polis and bananas to those in the muck which is a thrilling spectacle to watch and well entertaining. So it is a free for all in the muck with a variety of games played in heavy rainfall, with friends and families applying wet clay and often pulling reluctant friends forcibly to playfully participate in the mud bath. 

The whole celebration culminates when the youngsters among the revelers form a human pyramid and break the clay pot of butter tied to a branch of the peepal tree above. The whole celebration is a picture of great fun and shows the spirit of the youth and their energy levels to take part in the muck in great spirits while brushing aside their daily inhibitions and enjoy the moment presented by the Chikhal Kalo festival in Goa

Some people in Marcel still prepare traditional sweets for the ChiKhal Kalo festival  like the special pancake called "bole" which is prepared from wheat, moong dal, jaggery and copra ( shredded coconut) and is considered to be a delicacy on this occasion.

Chinese being wooed for Goa

Air India, the country's premier international airline has begun a vigorous campaign to target Chinese tourists by offering them a free return trip from Mumbai or Delhi to Goa, according to the officials of the Goa tourism department who are in great spirits thanks to the Goa pavilion at the recent Beijing International Tourism Expo.

According to estimates, over 40,000 Chinese tourists visited the Goa pavilion at the tourism trade fair picking up a Goa brochure printed in Cantonese.

Chinese tourists have been steadily increasing their visits to "incredible India" in the last few years and places such as Delhi, Agra, Jaipur and the Ajanta and Ellora caves has seen a regular flow of Chinese tourists. By offering a free return air trip to Goa would therefore set the trend for a new travel market to explore, for the state of Goa.

During the three day tourism expo, the Goa pavilion attracted travel buyers, tour operators, travel agents and the media in general who attended seminars, conferences and presentations organised by the Goa team

Tourists head for Goa in the rains

The global economic meltdown notwithstanding, tourists have responded favourably to the bold initiatives of Goa's tourism industry which attracted them with attractive packages with sizeable discounts to woo tourists in the off season with bargain rates, which the tourists seem to have lapped up. This was evident from the fact that many hotels in Goa have reported a occupancy ranging from 50 to 70 percent in their hotel rooms.

The various schemes on offer seem to have clicked for the hotel industry, with some hotels even going to the extent of throwing in an extra free day's stay for their clients who book a room in the three day package. Other incentives include a free half-day sight-seeing tour along with a boat ride and free transport to and from the airport for the guests.

The properties of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation have however recorded a lower occupancy at around 50 % occupancy. The GTDC has been offering a discount of over 15% for individual tourists while in the case of groups of 20 or more, the discount on offer is around 20 percent. Students are offered a few other perks.

The President of the Travel and tourism association of Goa Mr Ralph D'Souza was of the opinion that most hotels had a very good occupancy in the monsoons in Goa while there was a minor dip in the arrival of domestic tourists  in May due to the elections in many parts of the country.

Also a lot of corporate houses in the country hold their annual conferences in the beach drenched state of Goa during the monsoons and bring in their management and executives to Goa thereby boosting the room occupancy. Also the local promotions by the hotel industry also keep the room occupancy high especially on the weekends.

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Goa Festivals : Ribandar and Candolim celebrate the Sangodd

Fishermen in Goa consider June 29th as the sacred day which has been traditionally dedicated to  their patron saint, St Peter. On this day instead of venturing out to catch fish, the fishermen of Ribandar tie three of their traditional wooden canoes  together to form the Sangodd. Palm leaves and other flora are then used to decorate the Sangodd which is made to resemble a chapel.

The Sangodd celebrations in Ribandar commence early morning at 6.30 when the parish priest of the Ribandar Church marches to the beat of the brass band along with a confraria member who clutches to a statue of St Peter and all of them board  the well decorated Sangodd which is waiting for their oncoming. The priest subsequently blesses the village and the river and prays for the fishermen and seeks blessings for their welfare while fishing.

The Sangodd later returns to the jetty and the holy mass is celebrated at the Church. This tradition has been brought down the ages and is over 100 years old wherein the faithful in the village are convinced of the power of the blessings on this day for God to protect them and also provide them with a good catch.

The Sangodd is also celebrated at Orda in far away Candolim which is also another spectacle to watch in the Candolim creek. Sangodd at Orda is known to be celebrated for the last 200 years as most people from Orda were known to be traditional fishermen. Traditionally people from this area were known to keep their daily work routine aside for the day and use their boats to celebrate the feast with a lot of pomp and gaiety.

A chapel of Santa Cruz which is over 130 years old stands by the creek at Orda and the members of the Santa Cruz chapel committee who organise the Sangodd continue with the tradition of erecting a chapel on top of the Sangodd  which was earlier done with bamboos and cloth.

However, nowadays in recent modern times, a neat plywood structure is being erected on the boat instead of a temporary structure. The Holy cross is placed at the topmost point of the chapel and a statue of St Peter is carried out from the holy cross chapel in a ceremony and placed in a small niche just below the cross.

As afternoon sets in, around 2.30 pm an opening hymn is sung by the locals of Orda and subsequently professional singers take over. This year on 29th June 2009, a large number of Konkani artists which included Anil, Olga, Socorro d e Santa cruz, Sonia, Albert, T Britton besides various child artistes and local artistes performed live on board the Sangodd.

Once the gathered crowd is entertained enough, the Sangodd moves to another location to regale another section of the crowds at another point down the creek. After the first point, five more stops are made as the artistes perform much to the excitement and thrill of the large gathered crowds. Slogans such as Viva Sao Pedro can be well heard.

In Salcete, the Sangodd is celebrated at Assolna at round 3 pm along the river sal at three different places. The first point is at the jetty behind the Church, the next one is at Collean Dando at Assolna and the third one is at Ambelim. All of them tie their fishing boats together and erect a stage on board the raft. Various artists sing on these Sangodds which are witnessed by curious crowds along the banks of the river.

Sangodd is therefore a  festival celebrated all over Goa mainly by the fishing community to invoke the blessings of St Peter and to celebrate the spirit of Goa.

Goa's Mayem Lake crying for development

Mayem lake which is a natural beauty spot in Goa's hinterland side, has been a place visited by Goans who love to go here due to the natural scenic beauty of the place. However all such places need maintenance and help from the government if they should be promoted as the ideal tourist destinations for the world tourist. This  factor seems to be neglected as far as the Mayem lake is concerned and the local people of Mayem are therefore unhappy with the attitude of the government towards this beautiful spot which they feel is not being given due attention.

Blaming the tourism department, the residents of Mayem village feel that the tourism department has not undertaken any maintenance and development of the lake surroundings which is an incentive for tourists visiting the place.

Mayem lake is indeed a beautiful tourist spot with peaceful and serene surroundings but unfortunately lacks proper development as a result of which the condition of the lake is deteriorating. This has happened despite the residents of the area demanding from the authorities that they carry out some beautification activities of the lake and develop its surroundings . However there has been no response from the government.

The local population is therefore bitter with the government that such a beautiful spot has been neglected  by the government thereby denying the local population a means of generating some business revenue through the avenues with visiting tourists as also help the farmers around the area to get sufficient water supply for their fields and agricultural farms.

The lake which has a perimeter of about a kilometer has about three water streams locally named as " vhodlem tollem ( big lake)", "Shetwad Zara" and " Dhaktem Tollem"( small lake). the water of Vhoddlem tollem is used for fields  and agricultural farms while water from dhaktem tollem is utilised by farmers . Both these streams meet at 'fovachi kond" and this water is used for rabi crop cultivation by farmers from Kumbharwada, Sashtiwada and Sawnwada.

The main water source of the lake is the "shetwad zara"  which has weakened thereby leading to a drop in the lake's water level. During the past years the farmers used to de-silt the lake near its main stream but now with many villagers giving up farming , this practice has been discontinued.

The villagers are now expecting the panchayat and the  government authorities to see that the water resources are not affected and are maintained properly,

It is a general feeling among the villagers of Mayem lake that due to the basic amenities not being available at the lake tourists are reluctant to pay a visit to the place. According to them the negligence of the authorities towards beautification of the lake and the lack of proper facilities like boating, standard eateries and restaurants, cottages with proper amenities at reasonable rates, good gardens etc, the tourists have slowly declined and now rarely visit the spot. Also ironically, the private tourist buses which take tourists on sight seeing tours around the state of Goa do not include Mayem lake in their tour itinerary due to which the locals lose out on any such business.

The general perception  therefore is that while Mayem lake is a beautiful spot the government needs to step in and improve and enhance the facilities which have ample scope for development which could help restore and beautify this area with gardens, recreation facilities, restaurants, etc to ensure that this beautiful spot on is added more strongly on the tourist map of Goa.

Goa in the rains entices tourists with bargain deals

Goa in the rains is supposed to be as exotic as Goa in the winter. However this charm of Goa in the rains has to be seen to be believed. Green verdant fields dotted with palm trees and a rain soaked environment where the rain spikes hard into the red soil evoking life out of the Goan earth is a sight to behold because like they say, when it rains in Goa it actually pours.

The boat cruises are another delight to savour in Goa at this time of the year when the rains beckon Goa like a beautiful veil and cruising on the Goan boats can be an wanton attraction for all ages,  from the die hard romantic to the fagged out businessman or the relaxed octogenarian finding the pleasure too hard to resist in Goa.

For some people in northern India, this is also a good time to check out on a vacation to Goa since the schools in Delhi are normally on vacation mode and prices are always at its bottom at this time of the year, providing a great Goan holiday.

What's making the holidays more enticing to tourists this year are the tariffs of hotels in Goa which have dropped to almost half or lesser in the starred hotels while the smaller or medium sized hotels have also reduced rates by over 50 %.

So it is a win-win situation for the avid tourist to Goa as well as the hotel sector. While Indian tourists come to Goa to avail of the twin benefits of reduced tariffs and Goa in the monsoons delight, the foreign tourists are normally here to enjoy Goa in the rains.

So among he various packages on offer , the three day packages are normally picked up faster by the tourists  where a three day stay ranges between 12,000 and 21,000 which include transfers from and to the airport/railway station, with three meals a day and in certain cases, use of the hotel spa and the swimming pool.

Some starred hotels have gone full blown in the offer package with a reputed five star hotel in the south of Goa offering a tantalising package for three nights which includes transfers from airport/railway station, welcome drinks, all buffet meals, sight seeing, swimming pool usage, boat cruising, free use of steam and sauna and daily beverages for one hour, all at a bargain price of Rs 17999 which also throws in a complimentary stay for a child under 12 years of age. Click here for more details.

However competition is stiff in this times and the same offer as above is beaten by another starred hotel in south Goa which offers similar facilities for as little as 11,999 if booked 2 weeks in advance of the check-in date.North Goa is also not far behind in the rates-on-offer packages. A prominent north Goa hotel has a tempting monsoon package starting at Rs 12,800 which goes upto Rs 21,150. Other packages also range from 15,200 up to Rs 35,999, for a couple for a two night stay. Click here for more details

The serviced apartments in Goa are also showing a steady rise in bookings because many tourists find the apartments very convenient and have a better freedom to move around in Goa as well as keeping their room tariffs even lower while enjoying similar benefits.

The tourism department in Goa in the meanwhile is upbeat about the number of tourists in June this year which has shown a steady rise in the arrivals of tourists to the state. No doubt this is the best time to visit a must-see fun-filled, sun-kissed and now rain-drenching destination such as Goa.

Abide by Indian laws when in Goa - Shantaram to foreigners

In reaction to the news reports about some British citizens who have purchased land and have now approached the British Prime Minister Mr Gordon Brown, complaining that the sale deeds of their properties are not being registered by sub-registrars in Goa, Rajya Sabha MP Mr Shantaram Naik  advised the affected British Nationals to comply with Indian laws and also appreciate the problems of the state of Goa and its people, caused by the large-scale execution of purchase deeds by foreign nationals.

Pointing out that Goa has only an area of 3702 square kilometres he said that Goans have a natural tendency to be protective about their scarce land resources.

Mr. Shantaram Naik while stressing that Goa is not against any specific foreign nationality, also revealed that there are many foreign nationals who do not fulfill the requirement of 182 days stay in India and without holding a business visa attempt to misrepresent and misguide the authorities to enter into land dealings which is illegal and said that such attempts have to be firmly dealt with and put to an end.

Sao Joao celebrations beckon Goa

The feast of Saint John the Baptist is a favourite among Goans and the entire state gets set at this time of the year to get its watery act together to celebrate what is commonly known as "Sao Joao" festival in Goa. In Salcete, the feast is celebrated with a lot of gusto especially in the village of Benaulim which has the Church of St John the Baptist and the feast is on the 24th Of June. Sao Joao Day!

The Church of St John the Baptist in Benaulim is located on the  picturesque hillock situated at the entrance of Colva and towards  Benaulim. This Church also has a unique architecture and is well admired by tourists who flock to the place when they visit Colva and Benaulim. Novenas are held for 9 days prior to the feast day and the feast is celebrated with a lot of pomp and gaiety known to be part of such feasts in Goa. This time as usual there are a lot of programmes lined up including singing and dancing acts besides the prospect of watching a tantalising soccer match. Besides the  Benaulim parish, the feast is also celebrated in other villages of Goa such as Cortalim, Harmal and Terekhol in the north.

An unique tradition which runs is that the son-in-law gets invited to the brides house on the feast day. Also the newly married son-in-law wears a crown of fruits or leaves and jumps into the well. It is believed that it is for this very reason that many youngsters  jump in wells all over Goa in celebration and revelry accompanied by the sounds of the ghumot and traditional music and songs such as some delightfully sung mando's. Rivers, ponds, lakes and pools are not spared for a bountiful dip on this day and the young and the old join in the melee which reaches a crescendo towards the afternoon. Goan food, traditional drinks and various Goan delicacies make their way into this festive mood and the whole atmosphere is of fun and joy.

The chant of "Viva Sao Joao" is however not limited to south Goa alone and the north of Goa in fact has various locations where the celebrations are far more wider and louder. It is believed that St John the Baptist leapt with Joy in his mother Elizabeth's womb when she was visited by mother Mary. This is actually the basic background under which the "jumping" in the wells has become a traditional feature in Goa. Villages of Anjuna, Calangute Vagator,  and Siolim celebrate the feast of Sao Joao in a pompous manner.

In the village of Siolim, the celebration is very prominent and every village area plays its part with places such as Igrejavaddo, Gaunsavaddo, Marna and Fernandesvaddo chanting the "Viva Sao Joao ' in style. Distribution of Jackfruit, mangoes , Goan foods and pouring of water on newly married daughters-in-laws is a tradition in Gaunsawaddo.

In Siolim and in Goa as a whole the spectacle to look out for during  the Sao Joao celebrations is however the grand boat parade which has increased its followers over the years. A large number of people flock to witness this parade and this 175 year old history of celebrating Sao Joao in this village continues till date. However the event which may have started long ago on a small note has magnified in size and shape to turn out into a major attraction of Goa. The youth are traditionally known to merge from the neighboring places around Siolim coming in decorated boats wearing crowns or tender coconut leaves, singing Mandos and playing the Ghumot. After reaching near the cross in front of the church,they light candles at the cross, put a garland, light firecrackers , perform the "Saude" and dance around with the chant of Viva Sao Joao.

The boat procession is a replication of the entry of the Portuguese merchants along with the miraculous statue of St Anthony. The event was given a more organised shape in the year 1992 by some traditionally live Goans from Siolim and thus the "Sao Joao traditional boat parade" was formally christened. Later a committee was formed and since 1997 the Siolim Sao Joao traditional boat festival committee ensured that the festival was organised in a proper manner till date.

Drishti moots ESMA to counter attacks on Goa beach lifeguards

The recent spate of attacks on the lifeguards manning Goa's beaches under the banner of the contracted agency "DRISHTI special response services (DSRS) " surf life saving Goa, has prompted the directorate of tourism to move a proposal to the government of Goa to bring the lifeguard agency currently on a contractual obligation, under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).

The department has maintained that Drishti which was hired to maintain surveillance on Goan beaches was not receiving proper assistance from the state police. Citing specific instances the director  of tourism Mr Swapnil Naik informed the ad hoc committee on tourism of the state legislative assembly presided by the acting chairman Mr Reginaldo Lourenco, that despite a ban imposed on swimming along the Goan coastline, a group of tourists attempted to swim in the sea on May 27 2009 and upon being objected by the Drishti Lifeguards, they had a heated argument with them which resulted in the  lifeguards being detained by the Goa Police for one day.

On an average 3 deaths are currently being reported in Goa every month due to drowning incidents on Goan beaches despite all the precautions such as signages which have been put up at all the important beaches in Goa such as Colva, Calangute, Candolim, Baga, with clear detailed information about the tide timings, swimming zones and tide timings and flags being put up in the water to demarcate swimming areas etc.

Due to the stubborn attitude of certain tourists visiting the Goan beaches, the lifeguards of Drishti who are working under the famed system of "Surf Life Saving Goa" (SLSG) , have a dual challenge to comprehend. While discharging their duties to protect the tourists from drowning these lifeguards now also have the added burden of protecting themselves from violent attacks from the tourists themselves. Such attacks and threats from tourists have now become routine and it is believed that over 90 percent of such attacks take place on the three famous beaches of Goa namely Calangute and Baga in the North of Goa and Colva beach in the South.

It is due to the increase in the number of attacks on the lifeguards, that the management of Drishti's SLSG have urged the government of Goa to take immediate remedial steps to prevent such attacks on their lifeguards by declaring life saving as an essential service and recognise life-guarding services as a public duty performance and therefore provide them with adequate protection as is provided to public servants under the Indian Penal Code.

The management of SLSG has also threatened to close down their operations in Goa if there is no adequate protection given to their lifeguards who have been threatened, abused and attacked by violent tourists.

It is reported that recently over six army personnel attacked lifeguards at Calangute when they were informed not to venture into the sea which was very rough on that day. It may be noted that the government of Goa has already informed the public by a notification that they should not venture in the sea  due to the rough sea conditions and the lifeguards were only advising the people about the dangers of swimming at the beaches during the specified period and informing them that in case of any eventuality they would not be in a position to help them in distress. However the warnings of the lifeguards were reportedly met with attacks from the army men and when the beach locals rushed to their rescue what followed was utter chaos which injured the army men with a police complaint being lodged subsequently at the Calangute police station.

In the above fracas, the lifeguards were detained and later arrested by Police and were subsequently released on a bond of Rs 3,000 each although they had not inflicted any injuries on the army men who were allegedly injured in the scuffle with local beach visitors who rushed to the rescue of the lifeguards.

The SLSG has therefore asked the government to step in immediately to relieve the life guards of such attacks and help them to concentrate of their task of saving lives rather than get involved in physical attacks with different kinds of tourists visiting the beach. The agency also lamented that although many complaints were lodged with the police, no action has been taken to prevent any attacks on the lifeguards and only non-cognizable offences a have been registered so far.