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.

Find Good Hotels In Goa

Whether you are on a honeymoon to Goa or on a holiday to Goa, looking for a venue for a party or a wedding in Goa or just trying to eject a couple of days from a busy schedule, choosing the right hotel in Goa is one of the most important decisions in ensuring that you have an enjoyable time without bothering about whether the decision was a right one or not.

While Good hotels in Goa may be abounding, it can often be quite difficult to choose between the fine line of quality and price.Quite often while a hotel may be quite desirable as most hotels in Goa are, its tariffs or prices may not sound so affordable. Also you are not sure what is on offer in some cases.

So what should you look for while selecting a hotel in Goa and where should you go to try and find that perfect accommodation in Goa, whatever your needs?

While it may sound common sense, people often do not make a conscious list of what one is looking for when seeking accommodation in a tourist location like Goa. One of the better ways therefore to determine which hotel in Goa is right for you is to consider what you may be actually looking for, and to correlate your requirements against the star ratings assigned to those Goa hotels by tourist associations and tourist advisors.

The star system ranking is normally ranked on a 0-5 scale in the ascending order. This scale depends on the existence of amenities, facilities and luxuries within the hotel. Often a higher number would mean an expensive rate of the room which can help you decide where your money goes and towards what. Naturally if you can locate a higher star rating at a lower price, you can be well informed that the particular hotel in Goa is more likely to provide you a better value for money and a good level of service can be expected

The other popular way of choosing a good hotel in Goa is by relying on the popularity of the hotel simply by word of mouth. Questions to ask yourself here would be “what do my friends think about various hotels in Goa? Has anyone I know had a particularly pleasant, good(or bad) experience of hotels in Goa around the area that I am looking for? These can be good pointers to provide you with subtle information so that you get good value for money out of your hotel stay in Goa, and it also contributes to the extent that you are not disappointed with your choice midway through your stay.

Also, you are pretty assured that the advice of the friends and people you know, aren't coated with commercially bent interests, and so if someone among your known people tells you that they had a good experience in Goa in a particular hotel, they are more likely telling you honestly than if you hear it from the hotelier himself.

Another good place to check for hotel accommodation is Goa is at the “Goa Living styles (GLS)” where you are more likely to get the accommodation that you desire. You can book your stay in advance and  proceed to enjoy your holiday in Goa on the scheduled date without the hassles of personally sifting through various hotels in Goa as GLS does it for you so that you can have a great, low cost way of ensuring you find a hotel in Goa that meets your requirements, and provides you with an enjoyable trip to help you relax and unwind in this sun kissed state of India. To enquire with “Goa Living Styles” click here.

Selecting a good hotel in Goa is not a difficult process, but you should know where to seek value for money and you could end up with the right Goa hotel for you. Locating a good hotel in Goa is mainly down to realizing what you are actually looking for, and a great part of it also comes down to understanding what's available in Goa and at what price. However, with practical expectations and an experience of where to find good hotel rooms in Goa at an affordable prices, you should be able to find a way around this traditional process, and succeed in having a great time in Goa, the primary reason for which you went there in the first place.

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.

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.

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.

For hotel bookings and bookings in luxurious apartments in Goa with all amenities, click here.

Malaria reduces in Candolim and Calangute at Goa

A hotbed of malarial infections due to migrant labour at construction sites and hotels around the area, the Candolim-Calangute coastal belt has begun to show a steady reduction in malaria cases in recent years due to the pro-active measures taken by the health authorities in the area. The health authorities are known to have acted with a double strategy to deal with the menace and the results are known to be quite good.

In a two-pronged approach they tackled the parasite which is the actual malaria germ and also the vector which is the mosquito which breeds in fresh water. In both these areas, the health authorities of Goa demonstrated a tight surveillance of the construction sites and the migrant labourers along the coastal belt.

The result of the approach has been positive with the figures for the last three years at the Candolim Health centre showing a marked improvement in the situation.

In the year 2007, the health centre which looks after eight villages around the Candolim and Calangute area , had recorded 5,198 cases of malaria out of which 1,348 were of the plasmodium falciparum type. Falciparum is a dangerous malarial infection which can cause cerebral malaria and even death. The above figures had served to recognise the whole belt as a high risk area and therefore an aggressive counter strategy was evolved where the health authorities began demanding 100% health cards from the migrant labourers.

Builders were also sought to be brought in line with the Candolim PHC demanding on them to carry out anti-larval measures under the supervision of the health staff and those refusing to do so were penalised ad around Rs 70,000 was recovered from them. The PHC is known to have made over 4000 health cards and renewed nearly 700 health cards in the year 2007

Such a sustained campaign gradually saw the malarial cases in Candolim PHC declining to 2,921 in 2008 out of which only 778 were of the falciparum type. The fines had surged to Rs 1,14,000. The PHC also made over 5550 new health cards and renewed over 1300 cards.

This year in 2009, upto the month of May, the figures have continued to be encouraging and the malaria figures for the candolim calangute belt have been only around 380 with merely  100 falciparum cases. Fines totaling over Rs 15,000 have also been collected.

For parasite control, the PHC has organised many migrant screening camps to zero in on the daily wage labourers. Private practitioners in the area were also given copies of the national drug policy 2008 on malaria treatment to enhance rationality in treatment.

To tackle vector control, the PHC conducted house-to-house campaigns in malaria sensitive areas such as Khobra vaddo in Calangute, Ximvaddo in Arpora, Araddi in Candolim, Sonarbhatt in Verem and the 20 point programme areas of Nerul and Sangolda.

The PHC also had a propaganda to popularise the  insecticide-treated bed nets at construction sites for migrant workers and also alerted and activated the village health and sanitation committees and introduced ultra low volume fogging machines in all sensitive areas.

More staff on construction sites, improved mobility in the field for checks and improved laboratory services by putting one additional laboratory technician were the other measures adopted by the PHC.All these measures have proven to give good results and the incidence of malarial infection has reduced considerably.

Tourists all over the world are wary about malaria when they travel to Goa and are known to be taking preventive measures such as intake of "malarone" tablets to ward off the infection should they be bitten by infected mosquitoes. Malarone is used to prevent or treat the type of malaria infection known as Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Plasmodium falciparum belongs to one particular family of malaria parasites. It affects the blood and liver. Malarone works by killing this parasite.

Malarone is a combination drug (Atovaquone and Proguanil), which was licensed in the UK back in 1997 for use as a treatment for Malaria. Malarone is considered to be non addictive. However it is better to consult your doctor before taking Malarone.To buy Malarone online, Click here.

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.

Goa Properties : UK nationals seek "Brown" look

The Prime Minister of England Gordon Brown has been approached by many British citizens who have invested in property in Goa to seek his intervention to request the Indian government to resolve the problem of their properties purchased by them being left unregistered.

The petition led by Andrew Davies has been signed by over 125  people on the 10 downing street website addressed to the Prime Minister due to the problems faced by British citizens during purchasing and registering their properties in Goa. The petition reads that " We petition the prime Minster to approach government of India and request it to take cognisance of and correct the unlawful actions of the government of Goa whereby the sub-registrars have been instructed not to order the registration of deeds relating to the sale of immovable property where one of the parties to the transaction is a foreign national. This is in direct contravention of the 1908 Registration Act"

Further the petition seeks the intervention of the Indian government to to ensure that the department of revenue, directorate of enforcement acts judiciously when investigating alleged infringements of FEMA and is not being used to harass foreign nationals who have bought property in Goa.

The petitioners pointed out that the sub-registrars stopped accepting foreigners deeds after August 2006 and informed that over 400 British citizens who had bought property prior to August 2006 are currently being investigated by the directorate with threats of confiscation of the property.

Adding another twist, the petitioners referred to over 50,000 people of Goan origin or birth living in the UK and expressed hope that they are happy and well-treated in fairness and justice and sought merely the same courtesies to be extended to them by the government of Goa

Goan Beaches - Majorda Beach

The Majorda Beach is located in South Goa and is at a distance of around 6 kms from Margao city. A picturesque beach, it is one of those beaches which has been a favourite location for the local Goan population who simply love this beach and spend their evenings on the sands of the beach in a mood of fun and frolic. A relatively quieter beach in this part of Goa, Majorda has a unique village charm attached to it that despite the visitors frequenting the beach, there is a sense of serenity sprawling on the beach which seems to be at peace with itself.

The distinct part of this beach in South Goa is the presence of swinging palm trees which are in thick population along the beach side. Its soft sands and aquamarine waters are known to have attracted tourists to this place for ages and the same trend continues. The beach therefore is a host to visitors from all over the world who continue to swell in numbers owing to the charm that the beach tends to exert upon its visitors.

For the freaks who love myths there is the belief of the hindu mythology of Ram believed to have been kidnapped as a child and brought to Majorda. This myth has added to the mystique associated with the beautiful Majorda Beach which sees nature and mythology merge in natural beauty

Majorda Beach is ideally located  and can be reached from Colva via Betalbatim and is at a distance of around 5 km from the Colva Beach. It is also located at a close distance of 15 km from the Dabolim airport in Goa and as such is easily accessible. The Dabolim airport is located at a distance of 16 kms from the Majorda beach

While the Majorda beach resort is the major resort in the area, it is also one of the foremost resorts in Goa and dates back to the eighties when Goa had only a couple of other resorts to cater to the demands of tourism which was on a low key  in those days. There are various guest houses though and one can find a place to stay at Majorda for a great holiday. For accommodation planning in advance at cheap rates it is best to get in touch with " Goa Living styles" who provide accommodation in serviced apartments at a cheap rate. However the accommodation is classy and can be compared to hotel accommodation. To book your accomodation at a cheaper rate in Majorda click here 

Majorda is well known for its different bakeries producing quality bread ( the Goan pao ) in the area. The Jesuits are credited to have discovered the taste for Goan toddy here and used it to ferment the bread. the neighbourly holiday spots in close proximity to Majorda are Arrossim beach, Utorda Beach, Velsao Beach and Cansaulim beaches.

Early risers love to go to the Majorda beach to watch the sun rise and get themselves bathed in the morning sun. Kids love to construct sand castles and make caricatures on the beach surface while playing  with the silken sand of this beach while the beach at Majorda is considered to be a swimming haven and quite safe for tourists to venture. However it is best to follow the advice of the life guards appointed to look after tourist safety and their opinion should be taken in the right spirit thereby avoiding any casualties.

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.

Goa bound tourists and public advised not to venture into the sea

The tourists visiting Goa have been warned not to venture into the sea from May 27th onwards in view of the increase in the wave intensity due to the forthcoming monsoons.

The public in general and tourists visiting Goa have therefore been advised not to venture into the sea from May 27 to September 15 2009.

The hotel and resort owners in Goa particularly those that are dotted on the beach belt of Goa are advised to take note of the prevailing situations and advise their guests by displaying suitable placards, billboards and  by distributing leaflets containing all information regarding the subject.

In case of emergencies, the following numbers may be contacted.

No	Authority	Telephone number
1	Police ( North Goa )	100 / 2705094
2	Police ( South Goa )	100 / 2705094
3	Tourist Police	2437038
4	Coast Guard	2531718 / 2520584
5	Ambulance (EMRI)	108
6	Department of Tourism	2438750 / 51 / 52
7	Drishti special Response services Pvt Ltd ( Life Guard Services) North Goa	2276987
8	Drishti special Response services Pvt Ltd ( Life Guard Services) South Goa	2780599

As if "pigs got wings"

The world is threatened by a flu which had the nerve to even rock the economic markets in the world due to the fear of its spread which could hamper a lot of industries such as tourism and aviation in particular. Countries affected by the disease got added on day after day as if the swine could fly, thereby spreading the worth of its sneeze around the world.

The time one read about pigs flying was in Lewis Carroll's " Alice In Wonderland" where it as first spoken when the Duchess told Alice that she had as much right to think as "pigs have to fly". In "Through the Looking Glass", the Walrus and the Carpenter walked along the beach pondering,"whether pigs can fly". Many years later, in the year 2009, they seem to have done just that.

A new swine flu pandemic threatens to sweep the face of the earth and while some call it the Mexican Flu, the USA's renowned centre for Disease control has steered clear of any controversy by referring to the disease as the "H1N1" flu.

The reason for the above is due to the inconclusiveness of whether the virus actually originated from pigs and calling the outbreak as "swine flu' has already confused people into believing that they can get infected by eating pork products which has naturally infuriated the international pork industry and the Goan pork butchers are helplessly fuming.

The World organisation for animal health (OIE) and the the apex body of human health the WHO disagree on the nomenclature. OIE opines that the virus doing the damage at present is a cocktail virus of mixed human, avian and swine origin and should be called " North American Flu". Traditionally, influenza pandemics are named after the regions where they originated, like the Spanish flu - 1918-19, Asian flu - 1957-58 and Hong Kong Flu - 1967-68. But the World Health Organization is not getting carried away and sticking to its version - "Swine Flu".

Mexico has seen the biggest hit of the Flu with over 100 deaths reported and is therefore the worst affected. Tourism being the biggest source of revenue for Mexico after Oil, the country is hard hit by the outbreak. Its tourism industry has lost more than Rs 5000 crores in revenues since the outbreak leaving its airports, beaches and hotels empty with occupancies less than 20%, at a time of the year when it is above 90%.

However the swine hasn't stopped here. It has flown. To the US, Canada, New Zealand, Israel and even western Europe, Germany, the UK and Spain have all recorded cases of swine flu with twelve other European Union (EU) countries looking at suspected cases.

Business rating agency Moody's has already stated that the Swine flu scare could adversely impact investment and business confidence even in countries such as India causing a drag in economic activity like household consumption, business investment as well as further pull down and already beleaguered tourism trade sector reeling under the effects of recession.

The government of Goa has therefore rightly taken precautionary measures to prevent the invasion of the disease into the state of Goa.

For the readers of this post if you are in danger of getting swine flu, it is good to make a check. Swine flu is a respiratory disease of pigs but has been known to spread to human beings. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, body ache, headache, chills and fatigue. Extreme cases can lead to pneumonia and respiratory failure causing death.

It is believed that the flu spreads from person to person through coughing or sneezing. People are also known to be infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose. Doorknobs, switches and lift buttons are common transmission points. Infected people can spread the infection from day one even before the symptoms develop which means that you can pass on the flu before you know the person concerned is sick.

To avoid swine flu, regularly wash your hands with soap, try not to touch surfaces that may be contaminated by the virus and avoid close contact with people whoa re sick. Those who get infected can be treated by anti-viral medicines which are available in Goa as also the rest of India.

Precautionary measures against swine flu in Goa

The state government of Goa is not taking any chances regarding the steps to prevent swine flu from entering the state of Goa and have initiated precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the flu from hitting the state.

Accordingly, all foreign tourists coming from areas that encountered the swine flu outbreak would be checked for symptoms at immigration counters at the Dabolim airport by a team of two doctors and other para-medical staff.

However only those foreigners who have traveled to or from the areas affected by the disease and show symptoms of the disease would be screened and sample taken from them would be sent for examination at Pune.

The integrated disease surveillance project epidemiological cell, directorate of health services, Goa who has opened its centre at Dabolim airport on Wednesday following the outbreak of swine flu disease has screened around 150 passengers who arrived at Dabolim airport on Wednesday late night and in the wee hours of Thursday morning by two separate flights.

The doctor's team stationed at the arrival gate of Dabolim airport screened all the passengers but did not find anyone suspected to be afflicted by the viral swine flu disease.

It has been decided that the doctors at the centre will be screening a;ll; the passengers whether domestic or international. Such passengers will be handed with a profile to tick mark the questionnaire which include whether the passenger has visited countries such as USA, Canada, Mexico, Spain, New Zealand, France and UK during last 10 days. The passengers have also been told to tick mark for sore throat, running nose, cough and fever.

Goa Health dept help against heat strokes

With the mercury levels rising in the  summer in Goa, the government of Goa, through its directorate of health services has launched a commendable awareness campaign to prevent any possibilities of heat strokes in the state of Goa.

Going by the prediction of the Meteorological department , the temperature in the state of Goa is inching towards 40 degrees due to which the people may suffer from heat stroke and therefore the health department has appealed to the people in Goa to take certain precautionary measures. Following are the details of the appeal

APPEAL TO PUBLIC

TO PREVENT

HEAT STROKE

• Drink plenty of water: Avoid tea, coffee, soda & Alcohol
• Wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing in light colours
• Protect yourself from the sun by wearing a hat, sun-glasses and using an umbrella

First Aid measures

1. Move the victim from the heat and get him/her indoors. have him/her lie down in a cool place with feet elevate about 12 inches.
2. Loosen clothing and cool him rapidly using whatever methods you can, Like:-

• Place cold compresses on the victim's neck, groin, armpits:
• Wrap in a cool, wet sheet and fan vigorously
• Sponge with cool water
• Spray with cool water from a garden hose
• Immerse the victim in a tub of cool water
• Place in a cool shower
• If alert, give the victim cool water or beverages to sip ( specially with electrolytes) or make a slat sugar drink by adding a teaspoon of sugar and a pinch of salt in a glass of water. Give every 15 minutes
• For muscle cramps: massage affected muscles gentle but firmly untill they relax
• If the victim's condition does not improve or he shows no signs of shock, or is having seizures 9 fits) or loses consciousness, call a doctor or shift him to the nearest health facility

Help yourself to protect from heat Stroke.