Goa tourism dept to crack down on 11,000 hotels operating illegally

The Goa tourism department has decided to crack down on 11,000 hotels, which are operating illegally in the coastal state, Minister Rohan Khaunte said on Tuesday.

Speaking to reporters here, Khaunte said the Goa Small and Medium Hoteliers Association had submitted a memorandum to the department about hotels in the state that were functioning without mandatory registration with the government authorities.

The minister said he has asked the director of tourism to take action against these 11,000 hotels about whom the association has filed a formal complaint.

The state tourism department has already asked all the establishments to link themselves with the department's portal, he said.

''While the genuine business owners conduct their trade by paying taxes, we cannot allow these violators to function by bypassing the laws,'' Khaunte said, adding that the state cannot bear the loss of revenue due to these violations.