For most of us, 2020 was ‘the’ year when we would have met our soulmates, learnt cooking and ventured out on a beachy vacation to Goa. Although I was able to check some of the items from the list, meeting my better-half and visiting Goa seemed like a distant dream.
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As reported by NDTV, Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar yesterday announced that the state of our dreams will be opening its borders to tourists starting today i.e. July 2.
“We have decided to allow domestic travellers to enter Goa from July 2 onwards provided they comply with certain norms,” the minister said.
However, only 250 hotels in the coastal state are granted permission to host guests. The tourism department also listed a couple of guidelines or standard operating procedures (SOPs) that they’ll have to adhere to, reported The Indian Express.
Tourists are required to pre-book their stay at only those hotels that have been granted permission. Other hotels and homestays, not registered with the department, won’t be allowed to operate.
People visiting the state will also have to comply with several regulations. Tourists will not be allowed to roam in the state without a COVID-19 negative certificate. They’ll either have to show a recent COVID-19 negative certificate at the border or get tested upon entering the state.
The minister further added, “If they don’t have the certificate, then they will have to get themselves tested at the border and wait in state-run quarantine facility till their results are conveyed to them.”
“People who test positive will be given the option of returning to their respective states or staying back in Goa for treatment.”
Here’s how people reacted to this news:
Goa reopens for tourism today as well. 🤞🤞
— thepurplebindi (@Factualpwrcrown) July 2, 2020
Goa calling!
— Vi (@Dramaibaaz) July 2, 2020
I think the present Goa government has dug up their own grave by not controlling the #COVIDー19 cases in Goa.urgent lockdown was needed and they are busy opening everything. #Tourism #Goa
— Dhanesh Marathe (@dhanesh_marathe) July 2, 2020
As #GoaReopens,
Menu redesigns, increased use of local ingredients & innovative campaigns: these are some of the steps #restaurants in #Goa are taking to welcome their dine-in patrons. @oltraveller 🌊 🏖️ 🧑🍳 🦞 🍲#DineIn #IncredibleIndiahttps://t.co/0IOS2gDX2j— Ruchi Mohotra Kalia (@RuchiMohotra) July 2, 2020
I just heard a Goa Minister state couple of days back that they have community spread over there and today read headline’s that they opening up for tourism and 150 hotels given permission to open up ..really strange !
— Kavita Kumble (@kumble_kavita) July 2, 2020
At this stage of my life, a vacation in Goa is on number 250 on my list of top ten things to do while a Pandemic is on. https://t.co/yZ1smzoqpP
— Naomi Datta (@nowme_datta) July 2, 2020
Currently, there are around 1315 Covid-19 cases in Goa, of which 716 are active while 596 patients have reportedly recovered.
Although this is indeed a piece of good news, just remember that it’s always better to be safe than sorry. The beach is calling, guys.*Woohoooo*