That says it all really, I,ve been swithering about next season, but as a retiree I'm obviously not wanted in the Goa of today, so I'll take my few miserable pounds and spend them where they will be welcomed, in the likes of Thailand. Mabey this Tourism Minister is really an undercover man from some of the other destinastions out East, hes certainly doing a grand job for them !!
Alan

Reading the article it just seems to indicate to me that they have no idea what impact this 'no return within 2 month' rule is going to have.

This Francisco 'Mickky' Pacheco talks about 90 days being 'sufficient time for a tourist to enjoy a stay in Goa' but this rule has hit the people who have a 2 or 3 week holiday several times in a season - and usually eat out every lunchtime and evening, putting money into the economy.

I really do think that they haven't thought this through.
My personal opinion is that somebody had the same opinion as Mickky and wanted to do something about the 'people's who live on employment doles' and the 'retired persons who also live on doles' (how nice to know what Mickky thinks of some of us) and spend 6 months in Goa - but it's got 'lost in translation' and they've contrived to bugger things up big-style.

Playing devils advocate..... (so don't hit me too hard)

I can see where he is coming from. Perhaps an unfortunate choice of words in some areas (equating dole and pensions), but his point re the dole is a little bit valid. After all, how much money could the likes of Scarletts mother put into the economy?
From his point of view a fresh turnover of tourists with a lot to spend every 2-3 weeks is far preferable to some who stay for 16 weeks etc and spend a lot less pro rata.
I don't know how long visas are normally for in other countries,excepting Turkey (30 days, but renewable) or how long a touris visa is valid for in the UK.
Perhaps if he is so concerned about the revenue earned from long stayers he could simply make long term visas available at a premium cost.
Perhaps there is even a case for the UK to restrict people taking their holidays out of the country for so long and spending their funds abroad( I flinch even as I wrote that) instead of supporting UK tourism.

devils advocate hat off now.
It seems to me that before he starts discouraging his present tourist base he needs to build a new one to replace it, this would mean improving all the infrastructure associated with tourism and untill this is done I can't see him attracting a great deal more "big spenders" .
I can understand the anger of some long term stayers, although to be honest I doubt that I would ever want to stay for in excess of 90 days so unlikely to affect me.

sits back now and waits for the flack

No flack coming your way from me, del.

I agree with what you say (and I'm one of those people who actually have the time and money to stay in excess of 90 days but wouldn't want to).

From his point of view a fresh turnover of tourists with a lot to spend every 2-3 weeks is far preferable to some who stay for 16 weeks etc and spend a lot less pro rata.

Absolutely - but this new rule is penalising the very people they should be welcoming in with open arms, which is why I think they've either not thought it through or it's gone through the 'Chinese whispers' process.

I know a lot of long termers who pay for their flights, accommodation , frequent the shacks, eat and drink in the restaurants most days and nights , spend money in the supermarkets and shops.
So is there longer no space for them in Goa now? Everyone knows why they want the two weekers especially first timers, Because everybody from the Customs ,police, Porters, Taxi drivers, shack owners hoteliers, sellers on the beach and everyone else who has a sad tale to tell can fleece them for all they can take!
If you have ever seen anyone in Goa being told " its my first time here" watch the rupee signs rolling round their eyes!

All of us have been at that stage at one time, and most of us have been ripped off to some extent. scorpion.

As for 'dole' people staying longterm, that is impossible as they are now 'Jobseekers' and have to sign on every two weeks and provide evidence that they have been applying for jobs.
People on pensions are probably the longtermers who budget a bit more than tweekers, and it is this group of people that Goa doesn't want. As already said, newbies are the preferred client group. I have cringed many a time when I have seen them pay well over the odds for goods, but heyho, if it's worth it to them, thats all that matters. I often jokingly say to the sellers we are friendly with 'go and find some new white/bright red people and leave us alone!!'

The sad thing about this ruling, is that there are many tweekers who also like to have a late autumn break and then another a few weeks later. When you pay as much as we do for a visa, that is sold as a 'multiple entry', you should be able to use it as such. They will need to review the whole system and set different payment/time scales, to ensure they get the tourists they want. Implementing this new ruling half way through the season is not on.

I wonder how the new rules affect the tourists from the other countries on the 'friendly, wanted' list, who India have deemed fit to get a visa on arrival at the airport? You know who I mean.

Would anyone care to bet that this time next year, the same Minister for Tourism will be moaning about the lack of tourists - both 'genuine' and those 'on the doles' arriving into the state of Goa and that he will be wondering why they are staying away?

the doles i think he is reffering to is the ones on incapacity benefit?
I would not be surprised if people who do stay on for the full 180 days on a tourist visa getting refused when they apply again

So ... is the 6 month tourist visa not going to exist from next year
What about people who live in Goa all year round and have a 12 month tourist visa Will they also be issued with a 3 month visa and then they cant return again for a further 2 months Its totally insane.

What about people who live in Goa all year round and have a 12 month tourist visa Will they also be issued with a 3 month visa and then they cant return again for a further 2 months Its totally insane.

I think these are the very people the government are trying to get rid of, those who live in Goa but don't have residency permits. They are using the tourist VISA in a way it wasn't intended.

Personally, if it becomes a three month VISA and it costs the same, I certainly won't make two trips a year as I am doing this year.
Luckily we have a 3 month gap between our two seperate one month visits so we are not affected at the moment. A month is about as long as I want to be away from the UK in any one period. As an early retiree "pensioner" on "benefits" ( none of which are government provided) I will probably spend £4-5K in India as well as supporting Qatar Air who in turn deliver more tourism to India.
I think it's a really poor decision by the government to implement this without warning. A friend of mine had three trips to Goa last year, all for just 2 weeks on package tours. One was only two weeks after the previous one. Where would he have stood to be suddenly be told this when you have paid your deposits etc.
I must admit I have no wish to visit Goa twice in a year, we are visiting Kerala on our second trip, next year I was considering the north of India too.I am now thinking elsewhere !

I was seething when I read that article, where does he get off making such derogatory remarks about genuine working and retiree tourists. I can see why he wouldn't want the so called "dregs" as was said a year or so back (but he meant us and I don't) but come on, does he really expect Goa to attract these wonderous high spending, high calibre tourists For goodness sake the guys suffering from delusions, if I won the lottery and had millions of pounds in my bank account (or even fifty thousand) I am sure that Goa would probably be one of the last places I'd visit. Would you spend a fortune on an expensive hotel and an expensive flight only to be greeted by rag pickers, men peeing openly anywhere they choose, wild dogs, smelly drains/sewers, poor food hygiene (in some places), no pavements, electric outages, rubbish, River Princess etc etc etc when you open your window....I know I wouldn't. I am sure most of us have spoken to people who have hated Goa immediately they walked out of the airport and they didn't pay "loadsa money" either -so what does he think Goa has in abundance to charm these wonderful tourists who are accustomed to much higher standards than Goa can offer? Goa isn't Miami Beach or the Maldives and never will be! (not that i've been to either place). They aint gonna be impressed on their first drive from the airport are they I reckon this moron must be taking "something" because he certainly doesn't live on the same planet as the rest of us. What a prize plonker he is

Don't get me wrong, I enjoy and love my holidays in Goa, we always have a great time and we love meeting up with all our friends, Goans, English, oh and that other nationality they call "HTers" thats what makes it for us. I am also willing to accept all of the above qwerks of Goa (and probably more besides) but I wouldn't want to spend a fortune to do so, i would feel robbed if I did...........Fizz

Sorry for the rant! GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!

I cant believe I just read that, it beggars belief.

Spot on Fizzy, and a lot more besides if you look deep enough

You do wonder sometimes, don't you?

The fact that the Tourism Minister refers to people supporting the Goan tourist industry in such derogatory terms is a perfect illustration of his complete unsuitability for the job. It would be nice if Goa had a consistent tourism strategy, rather than a series of ill-thought out knee-jerk reactions by "officialdom" but even if focusing on the short stay holidaymaker was a part of that strategy, insulting those that stay longer is not the right way to roll it out.

How does it follow that because there are fewer long stayers, there will be an increase in short stayers? Duh!

I'm not disagreeing with any of the previous posts. But have noticed that no-one has considered the Domestic market, as these tourists fer outnumber the Foreign visitors.
Many of whom have plenty of money to spend, and chose to stay in 5* and boutique hotels like the Taj, Leela and Park Hyatt, and new ones appearing each year.
OK they may only stay at most a week, but that's fine as long as they keep retuning. They are also familiar with the ways of India, so the enviroment would't be a culture shock.
Not everyone visiting Goa is looking for a cheap holiday, or accomodation or why are hotels like this opening ---

http://www.alilahotels.com/diwagoa

http://www.thebeachhousegoa.com/

I guess only time will tell xx lassi

You could always email him direct for his views http://www.goavidhansabha.gov.in/profile.php?memberid=15

Goonerfan
thanks for that link, I found it very interesting reading - especially the bit under 'Other information' which said Micky has a

Vision to make Goa an ideal Tourist State.

Whilst I would agree with most posters that Goa's tourism minister is "not fit for purpose", it must be remembered that the new visa rules are a national directive, and not the brainchild ( if he has a brain ) of this man. Lassigirl raises an interesting point re domestic tourists. Since the start of package holidays to Goa in the late 80s foreign visitors, especially at first from the UK, were vital in the build up of hotel accomodation, and all the other stuff, to fuel a growing tourist industry. Now however the huge increase in their domestic market means that their need to rely on visitors from outwith India becomes less and less every year. Another point is, I'm sure that the conditions put apon Indian tourists to the UK when applying for a visa, are the most restrictive of all the countries that send large numbers of visitors to India, and I wonder if there is an element of tit for tat in all of this.
Alan

There is an element of truth in Gramps last comment.
Reading the various on line Indian papers there are reports of India seeking relaxed visa conditions for Indians entering Germany and Russia.
It could be that the next "target" will be the UK and so India may be using the present situation as a "softener up" before making an approach.