Dec 5- Online travel agencies (OTAs) have been asked by the State Tourism Dept to ensure that any hotel or guest house which has not been registered with the state tourism department does not find a place on their platforms, informed Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte. He was speaking to media persons after inaugurating Goa’s first Airbnb Entrepreneurship Academy. “OTAs have been told that not a single hotel which is unregistered with the department should find itself registered under the OTA platforms,” he said. Emphasising on departments efforts towards EODB, he said, “When a hotel applies for renewal, if the renewal is not done within 7 days, on 8th day the hotel is considered deemed renewed.”
Khaunte refuted media reports of Goa losing its status as preferred tourist destination referring to the reports as ‘misleading’. Goa is doing good and is a preferred destination, he asserted adding that all the domestic flights and hotels are full. When queried about rising flight and hotel rates, he said, “It’s linked with demand and supply. Govt cannot curb prices, its the industry that takes the call,” he added. “We know that the rates are a concern but there are buyers, and domestic buyers,” Khaunte asserted.
