EDITORIAL

THE TOURIST SEASON HAS BEGUN, BUT ARE WE MISSING SOMETHING?

The tourism industry in Goa might have survived the 2 years of the pandemic with a surge in local tourists, but even though the restrictions of the pandemic have been lifted up, things aren ’t looking very bright as far as international tourists are concerned. Currently, the waiting period to get a visa for a UK citizen is 2-3 months, and if constructive steps are not taken to reduce this time, Goa might lose these tourists forever. Once a customer is lost, it becomes extremely difficult to recapture the market and we have already seen this with charters from Finland, Germany and Poland that were stopped a few years ago. Before COVID, Goa was getting around 45000 charter travellers and a few more individual travellers, but since 2020, not even a single charter from the UK has landed in Goa. Our cover story this month is trying to touch upon the effects of this New Tourism Policy and what the stakeholders feel about the same. And well on the positive side, we have some beautiful restaurant reviews for you to explore and also plan a beach staycation in South Goa with our new discovery. Our people ’ s section and their stories are always inspiring, and I am sure you will definitely find a connection there. Next time when you plan to head out with your friends for a drink, do remember to check out our tavern feature and make it your preferred spot. Do impress your family and friends with your cooking when you have our recipes to bank upon and I am sure they would enjoy it as much. Is GIN your favourite alcohol too, then you would love reading the cocktails and cuisine with Aditi section for some amazing gin facts. Read along for many more interesting stories and news and please do share your feedback with us. Wishing everyone a great season ahead!

ADITI MALHOTRA MANAGING EDITOR