Panaji: Vendors would now be allowed to do business on the beaches of Goa, a decision that has not gone down well with the state`s tourism industry.
Tourism associations feel that the presence of vendors on the beaches who sell fruits and other items annoys foreigners sun bathing on the beach.
"We called on the leaders of these vendors and they have been told that they are allowed to do the business but they should not disturb the tourists," Tourism Minister Nilkant Halarnkar told reporters on Tuesday.
He said that a proper list of vendors would be made identifying them with the kind of business they do.
Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), state’s apex tourism body, had claimed that these vendors arrive from neighbouring states during the tourist season.
The state had adopted a policy against these vendors.
However, the tourism department has now decided that vendors will now be given licences to trade on the beaches.
He said that newly conceived tourism security force, comprising of ex-servicemen, would be asked to ensure that these vendors don?t trouble the guests.
"We had started acting against these vendors but their leaders came to us requesting to let them operate on the beaches," the minister explained.
Goa beaches are now getting ready to host lakhs of people who will throng the state to usher in Christmas and New year festivities.
The state has 105 km long beach stretch attracting 2.4 million tourists annually.
The state tourism department has predicted that 800 chartered flights will come to Goa bringing in guests from across the globe including Europe.
Russians amount for the highest number of guests here followed by the Britishers.
PTI
