Is Goa ready for the high season?

We are in early November; Christmas and New Year are weeks away, but are they that long a time away? The question may sound rhetoric, but there’s a reason for asking it.

A shop in the Panjim market is already selling Christmas-themed articles. They were up for sale on November 1. A national media website is listing 10 best offbeat Goa beaches to spend the New Year. They did so on November 2. 

What these instances are telling us is that it is time to plan for Christmas, and make the New Year travel arrangements, even find those secluded beaches that are yet to be discovered by .

Churches across Goa are yet to get into the Christmas spirit. Advent, this year, begins on December 1, so don’t expect the churches to bring out any Christmas decorations or themes before that.

Don’t also expect churches to start getting the faithful prepared for the birth of Jesus before that date. For the Church, the Christmas season starts with Advent.

Churches across Goa are yet to get into the Christmas spirit. Advent, this year, begins on December 1, so don’t expect the churches to bring out any Christmas decorations or themes before that.

What is it, then, about Christmas decorations being on sale already? Isn’t the commercialisation of the festivities being taken far too far?

We all know that Christmas has been very commercialised, and in Goa, the last week of December is the peak tourist when air fares shoot up sky high and room rates follow suit.

But, it looks like the commercialised nature of the festival is going to begin even earlier this year and, for good measure, websites are directing tourists to those beaches that are otherwise not frequented by them.

It’s clear that corporate Goa is getting ready for the high season, but Goa’s roads are far from ready to meet the increased traffic expected during the coming weeks, with the added numbers of tourists on the roads and pressure on the infrastructure.

The exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis , the International Film Festival of India will be opening this month, and next month Serendipity will get underway.

Yet, Goa, as a State, just does not appear to be prepared for any of these or the other events that are in December.

It’s clear that corporate Goa is getting ready for the high season, but Goa’s roads are far from ready to meet the increased traffic expected during the coming weeks, with the added numbers of tourists on the roads and pressure on the infrastructure.

There are tents already coming up within the Entertainment Society of Goa courtyard, but the roads parallel to the location are nothing better than a mess.

Right now, the pavements along MG Road, an arterial road in Panjim, are being broken and new blocks of pavers being laid.

A section of these pavers may get laid by IFFI opening day, but others will be opened around that time. So, Panjim too won’t be ready.

Preparations for Serendipity are already on at the various venues, but there is little visible of the infrastructure, the roads, in particular, that would lead to the venues, being upgraded.

The exposition is just days away, but the link to the highway at Chimbel is still to be opened.

But, when one looks at it, has the government done anything to make Goa 'amazing' to those businessmen and industrialists who will be coming here for the first time?

Currently, this is a major bottleneck, and if it does not get ready before the exposition opens, imagine the traffic jams on this road that links Ponda with Panjim.

The other road, along River Mandovi, that passes through scenic Sao Pedro and , is a shambles having been dug up for Smart City works and still not repaired.

Pertinently, a day after this column gets uploaded on the website, the State will be hosting Amazing Goa, a conclave where national and international delegates are expected.

But, when one looks at it, has the government done anything to make Goa 'amazing' to those businessmen and industrialists who will be coming here for the first time?

The difference between the corporate world and the State administration is glaring over here. Businesses get ready well in advance, the government stumbles along until the absolute last minute, and then, throws up substandard work. It is happening again and will continue to happen.