Documented by Goa Desc Resource Centre Ph:2252660
Website: www.goadesc.org Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Press Clippings on the web: http://www.goadesc.org/mem/
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---------------------------------------------------------- Tour and Travel agents are killing us: GOTTA ---------------------------------------------------------- Goan taxis are often referred to the worm in the juicy apple of a Goa holiday with allegations of overcharging passengers and intimidating business establishments. It's the tour and travel agents and their reps, not us, says GOTTA Vice President CHRISTOPHER FONSECA, who is also General Secretary AITUC, Goa. Other members of GOTTA Rui Geroge, General Secretary, Kennedy Goes, President, Felix Fernandes, Treasurer, Alirio Fernandes, Adviser and Jose Alphonso, Vice-President were present too, to clarify and corroborate.
Q: If there were micro level taxi associations, why was GOTTA s et up? A: The purpose of GOTTA (Goa Tourist Taxi Association) is to unite the taxi operators dedicated to beach and star hotel State-wide. The problem is that the tour and travel agencies are spreading their tentacles at such a feverish pace that they are dispossessing us of our rightful share of tourist trade of transporting tourists from the hotel to which we are attached to tourist destinations.
Q: How could they do that if you were dedicated transport providers for the hotels? A: First it came to limiting us on Wednesdays and Fridays, where we could take the tourists to the Anjuna flea market and the Friday market at Mapusa. Out of seven days of the week we could only operate on two days. But for the last two years, they have been encroaching on those two days too
Q: Why is it that across the board, people complain about overcharging by taxi drivers? A: The rates are fixed by the Transport Department. The question is who is complaining; how many complaints have been filed? Why should only GOTTA taxis have to follow the rules. There are 5,000 taxis in Goa. Out of these less than 3,000 are dedicated to five star and beach hotels.
Q: What is the extent of the problem with the Tour and Travel agents? A: If we analyse the situation in South Goa, there are 100 buses and 70 Qualises from North Goa which drive down to the South at 4am, to take hotel guests to destinations like Hampi. Now you will ask what kind of business sense does it make to log an unnecessary 60 to 80 kms to the taxi bill, when it would be cheap to use a taxi from the hotel itself? It's big money because the tour operators charge the tourist in dollars per head, while we charge a flat rate for the trip, whether it is one person or four. Do a simple calculation. Consider a short trip to Panjim. 35 people travel in a bus and each passenger pays the tour agent $ 50. There are 100 buses per day the collection works out to $ 1,75,000. At Rs. 43 per dollar that amounts to Rs. 75,25,000. And don't forget the 70 Qualises. They take the Qualises to Hampi. Each passenger pays $240 per adult, $100 per child between the ages of three and twelve. The Qualises alone make Rs.30,000,00 per day. The total money made by the tour and travel agents per day is Rs.1 crore.
Now look at our situation. There are 1,000 taxis in South Goa. Even if all 1,000 taxis are in operations, we will not earn more that Rs. 10 lakh per day. By the way we charge Rs. 8,000 per air-conditioned vehicle to Hampi and back with four passengers in it. Compare that with the $240 x 4 passengers of the Qualis which amounts to $960 which multiplied by 43 is equal to Rs. 41,280. They charge five times more. You tell me who's over-charging? I have photocopies of the taxi tariff cards of some tour operators. It is they who are bleeding the tourists.
Q: Why should the government stop private vehicles from plying? A: Private vehicles ferrying hotel guests don't pay an entry tax like we do. They don't have insurance. If passengers are hurt, they will not be compensated.
If passengers take our luxury taxis they will be paying 5 times less and get complete insurance too.
Q: Foreign tourists and Indian tourists complain about the crazy taxi prices which are much more than those in Mumbai? A: Everything is more expensive - food, clothing and travelling at the Goan resorts and is fixed by the Transport Department.
Q: Why are the taxi drivers so reluctant to charge by the meter? This would guarantee income from the common man throughout the year given that bus services end at 8pm? A: Yes, but we are talking of the segment of beach and starred hotels taxi operators. If you are talking of taxis as a whole, let the govt. initiate discussions with us and show us the benefits of charging by meter. How can there be any talks when one part of the trade is unregulated? Travel agents are charging 5 times more than taxi operators.
Q: Will your Code of Conduct take those who overcharge and intimidate to task? A: We definitely will take action against those who are working against our trade and bringing a bad name to us. ---------------------------------- HERALD 20/2/05 page 15 -----------------------------------
======================================= GOA DESC RESOURCE CENTRE Documentation + Education + Solidarity 11 Liberty Apts., Feira Alta, Mapusa, Goa 403 507 Tel: 2252660 mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] website: www.goadesc.org ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Working On Issues Of Development & Democracy =======================================
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