S Goa shack owners satisfied with business this season

by JOAO SOUZA M
Posted on 2009-05-27
MARGAO—The shack owners have started closing down the business until for the next season, pretty satisfied with was in store for them this season despite the global meltdown and the aftermath of 26/11 attacks in Mumbai.
Beaches of Cavelossim, Carmona and Varca are now wearing a deserted look with only thatched roofs of the shacks standing on the beaches as most of the shack owners have started withdrawing, now that the monsoon has started knocking at the doors. Only a few shacks can be seen at the Benaulim beach.
Most of the shack owners had a similar story to tell, “the season was good but not like the previous years.”
Or just the way a shack owner from Zalor beach at Carmon said: “It was a 4-month season for most of us this year.”
As Mr Roger Fernandes, who owns a shack at Benaulim, said, “this season was good but not so good as last year. Not that there were no tourists, there were both domestic as well as international tourists, however, not like the previous years.”
Secondly, he said that during Christmas and new year his shack always used to be crowded with domestic tourists along with foreign tourists, which was not the this year as the state was put under high alert.
“That apart we did reasonably well for the season,” Mr Fernandes said
While on the other hand, Mr Anthony Pinto, who owns a shack at Varca said he had a forgettable season, as he didn’t even recover the costs incurred in setting up of the shack.
He said that the season was very bad more so in the wake of the terror strike in Mumbai and the subsequent high alert in the state.
Mr Pinto said election too did no good for his business more so with the declaration of dry days.
Secondly, he said that wholesale liquor vendors too kept their business establishments closed as a result shacks had to suffer due to shortage of alcohol.
Mr Xavier Luis, a shack owner of Traveller’s Inn at Zalor beach in Carmona said, “we had a decent season this year and overall the season was good but not like the previous years.”
He said that there were a lot of Russian tourists and also a large number of German and British tourists.
He also said that the Russians in particular are very good eaters and added that he did particularly well in the months of November and December, however, things slowed down in January and February. All in all, it was a 4-month season of substantial business.
Similarly, Mr Robert Antao, said they had some problems this year.
“We made very good business in November and December, however, we had a sudden slow-down in January where the business was very sluggish.”
He too had a lot of Russian and British tourists patronizing his shack along with Indian tourists.
While shacks have been introduced to create employment opportunities for Goan youth, during the random survey it was observed that several starred hotels too have ventured into the business.