Bleak season for watersports operators as cruises, jet-skis, diving ruled out

Calangute: Most boat trips, including

river

cruises, and water sports activities are not going to be available for tourists this season, according to stakeholders.

Candolim-based boat and water sports operator Seby D’Souza told TOI that the National Institute of Water Sports, which decides the water sports policy, recently had a virtual interaction with the

operators

.

“It has been decided that no boats with more than 10 passengers will be allowed because of the

Covid-19

situation, so all the large cruise boats will not be allowed. Only the small boats will be allowed with 10 passengers. That means only the dolphin and other similar trips will be there,” he said.

Dolphin sighting boat trips are popular with domestic tourists who flock to the Sinquerim jetty in large numbers for these trips.

D’Souza said there will be no

jet-skis

this season because

social

distancing between the operator and passenger is not possible. Also, scuba-diving and other underwater trips will be out as the same equipment, like oxygen cylinders, is shared by others.

Because of the situation, many boat operators in the Calangute-Candolim tourism hub have decided not to open up for this season.

Boat trips to Grande Island, and other boat excursions, like crocodile spotting trips in the Cumbharjua canal, which are almost completely dependent on foreign charter tourists, are also unlikely.

John Rodrigues, a prominent boat operator in Candolim, whose clients are largely charter tour operators, said the situation does not look bright. “All my bookings have been cancelled till December. It will be very difficult to start. At the moment we will definitely not start. There are no foreign tourists, no charter flights and no e-visa, so no foreign tourists can come,” he said.

The situation is not going to change at least till the end of 2020, the boat operator said. “At the most, we might be able to do some business in the first three months of 2021, but that also depends on the situation,” said Rodrigues, who also operates house-boats.