Panaji: The social media is abuzz with State Tourism department’s act of promoting Goa as a destination for cheap liquor and casinos during Arabian Travel Mart in Dubai. The role of minister Manohar Ajgaonkar is in question as he had personally travelled to attend the mart but had kept the stall in the hands of non-Goans.
Goa’s one of the leading discussion forum on Facebook, Goa Speaks, has carried a post by one Carol Mathias Rebello who has expressed anger over the affairs of Goa Tourism Stall at Arabian Travel Mart.
“So angry to see the Goa tourism exhibition stand at Dubai Travel market with non-Goans representing our beautiful Goa, when I approached the counter all they were telling me was about casinos and cheap alcohol to be the main reason why I should visit Goa, so much wasted tax payers money for nothing,” the post read.
Interestingly, Goa tourism has been looking at the Middle East to attract Tourists during monsoons under its policy to sell rain drops to rain starved countries.
While Goan stall was managed by non-Goans, the state exchequer had to shell out money for the tickets, accommodation and other perks for tourism department officials,
State Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar himself had travelled to Dubai along with Tourism department’s deputy director Rajesh Kale, Assistant Director Ganesh Teli and GM-GTDC Laxmikant Vaigankar.
Now the question arises that when these officials travel with the expense of State why can’t they handle the stall as they are on an assignment to attract tourists.
