The village panchayat of Calangute in North Goa has decided to make it mandatory for tourists to show the proof of hotel reservation or pay tax for entry into its limits. Calangute is a popular tourist destination in Goa known for its beach.
Talking to PTI on Thursday, Calangute sarpanch Joseph Sequeira said on Thursday that the village panchayat is scheduled to hold a meeting on Friday, wherein it plans to adopt a resolution making it mandatory for tourists arriving there either to show a hotel reservation receipt or pay tax at the entry points.
“The panchayat would adopt the resolution and forward it to the district collector in Panaji for further action. Once approved, its implementation will happen from the next tourist season (starting in October),” he said.
Binibeca Vell, on Menorca island, sits on a small bay with sparkling turquoise waters, and the picturesque village has become a major draw for visitors to Spain’s Mediterranean Balearic Isles. A windfall for tour operators quick to promote the “fairytale” allure of this village, designed by Catalan architect Francisco Barba Corsini, the crowds are a source of irritation for locals forced to put up with the rude behaviour of some visitors.
“The panchayat decided to take the step after realising that groups of tourists, packed in jeeps, buses and other vehicles arrive at the beach, litter it and just go away without bothering to clean the place,” he said. The decision to impose entry tax was taken in order to maintain cleanliness and decency and reduce the traffic issues faced by the local residents, Sequeira said. “We want our village to be clean so that we can attract quality tourists,” he said. Sequeira said these restrictions will only be meant for tourists and not the locals. He gave the example of Mahabaleshwar town in Maharashtra, which collects entry tax from tourists. “We will do it on lines of Mahabaleshwar Municipal Council,” he said.
