Tourism is so
prominent that the number of tourists almost equals the number
of state population.
Goa attracts almost 12% of total foreign tourists arriving
in India. In terms of direct charters, it is 75% of the total
direct charter traffic in India. To give a big fillip to hospitality
industry in the state, the Department of Tourism has taken
multi-pronged strategy involving both private and government
organisations.
THE DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM
The Department of Tourism, Government of Goa, is instrumental
in planning and providing the basic tourist infrastructure
and other tourist facilities/amenities as well as promoting
Goa as a round the year tourist destination by participating
in various tourist related events in India and overseas
and through tourist publicity literature and other publications.
It also exercises control over hotels and travel trade activities
through regulatory measures, under the Goa Registration
of Tourist Trade Act, 1982
Over the yars, the tourist arrivals into Goa has grown
to about 1.2 millions annually almost corresponding to the
population of the State.
The Goa Tourism Development Corporation Limited was set
up wayback in 1982 for the sole purpose of running commercial
activities of the Departmental including accommodation units,
sight-seeing tours and cruises for the benefit of tourists
in the low and middle income groups who constitute bulk
of the tourist traffic to Goa.
THE GOA TOURISM DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION (GTDC)
The Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), set up
on 30th March, 1982, looks after the commercial aspects
:
ACCOMMODATION: 13 GTDC-run Tourist Hostels with
550 rooms and 1,307 beds.
TRANSPORT: For sightseeing tours by Road Transport,
the GTDC has 17 coaches including AC, luxury and mini coaches,
with 350 seats. The corporation also runs 1 launch known
as Santa Monica, which is very popular for river cruises.
SOUVENIRS: Through Handicrafts Corporation Emporia,
the GTDC helps sell of souvenirs like brass items, clay
items and shell items, besides items carrying GTDC logo
like T-shirts, shorts, candles, books, maps, etc.
PACKAGES: The GTDC has been selling since 1994-1995
complete tour packages through agents in cities like Mumbai,
Calcutta, Delhi, etc, which include accommodation, sightseeing,
river cruises, gift items, transfers, etc
Tourism Taxes
Hoteliers, travel trade and tourists have benefited tremendously
with the declaration of Tourism as an Industry in Goa. Luxuries
provided in a hotel include accommodation and other services
/ facilities like air conditioning, telephone, telephone,
radio, music, entertainment, extra beds and the like, swimming
pool, health club, tennis court, golf course and shopping
arcade. The luxury tax is governed by the Goa Tax on Luxuries
(Hotels and Lodging Houses) Act, 1988. Cooked food and non-alcoholic
drinks served or sold in a hotel attract a sale tax from
4% to 12% subject to the Goa Sales Tax Act, 1964 (the 6th
schedule, clause V of sub-section 7).
