Foreign national as tourist guides right under the noses of Goan approved tourist guides, explaining in languages such as French, Russian and Arabic to tourists has got on the nerves of local tourist guides.
The empanelled tour guides are not happy that their daily bread is been stolen from their plates and have decided to remain mute spectators no more. They have not sought that State Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar intervene in the issue.
“Only Indian guides authorised by the Indian Government can escort tourists at world heritage sites like Old Goa. What’s happening now, is Russian, French and even Iranians are freelancing as guides taking groups of their nationalities around,” Jenny Pacheco, a local Goan and empanelled tourist guide said after calling on the Chief Minister.
They have been demanding that the Government debar foreign nationals illegally as tourist guides besides also businesses in the form of travel and tour agencies operated by foreigners, especially Russians.
They say that the Russians who they claim are snatching their clients.
Most of the tourist guiding takes place at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, a four hundred year Basilica housing the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier a 16th century missionary saint, besides also being part of the Old Goa church complex is a world heritage site recognised by UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation).
St Xavier is considered the protector of Goa.
Thousands of tourists daily visit the Old Goa heritage complex to have a view of the churches, having very little knowledge of the history and culture associated with the old city of Goa and use the services of knowledgeable guides.
“The very fact that foreign nationals (Russians) are engaged in guiding at monuments can be traced from the CCTV footage installed in the Basilica of Bom Jesus,” the complaint says.
The complaint spells out the names of several illegal travel agencies run by Russian nationals and foreigners doubling up as tour guides.
“A lot of these guides are actually foreign escorts who accompany groups of tourists and then freelance as guides. They just read magazine and guidebooks and often end up misguiding tourists about the history and heritage of the place,” said Advino Fernandes, another tour guide.
Tour guides say that their main source of income comes from the season time when the tourists are maximum and they have to make the money to last for the rest of the year.
“With foreigners conducting guiding tours illegally, it is robbing our daily bread,” he said.
Earlier local taxi drivers said that foreigners were running taxis in Goa thus robbing them of businesses.
There have been bloody skirmishes between local taxi operators and their alleged foreign rivals.
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