ETW Staff – Mumbai
Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) has positioned itself at the forefront of PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Cashless India’ mission. GTDC has already taken the lead bringing all tourism businesses under the ambit of cashless transactions. For businesses such as hotel reservations, package tours, cruise rides or any other tourism service, GTDC has introduced systems that have facilitated cashless transactions, both on-line and offline.
Cashless facility is made possible by GTDC through online web portal, booking of services and products through mobile app available on iOS and Android platforms at GTDC residencies and restaurants through point-of-sale (POS) machines thus enabling a 360 degree approach to the new cashless system.
GTDC is also working to introduce pay wallets and talks are underway with pay wallet providers. The Santa Monica Jetty also offers payments through credit cards and debit cards. To further this process, the launch of the new e-commerce portal and mobile app in February this year has provided a fool-proof platform for e-business and cashless transactions, also bringing other tourism stakeholders into the cashless circuit.
Official records from the GTDC reveal that cashless transactions to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh are executed daily for various services provided by the GTDC, which is in addition to cashless transactions recorded on GTDC’s e-commerce portal and mobile app. Gavin Dias, general manager (hotels), GTDC said, “All GTDC residencies are provided with point-of-sale (POS) machines to facilitate cashless payments and most tourists prefer to use this facility. It is encouraging to see tourists opting for cashless transactions,” while pointing out that in addition to cashless business for GTDC’s hotel accommodation, GTDC through the e-commerce portal has direct tie-ups with more than 160 hotels and also has tie-ups with channel managers like Staah and Maximojo for tourists to book accommodation using cashless modes of transactions.
He further added that cashless transactions have already become popular and an easy way out for both tourists and tourism stakeholders. Goa attracts more than five million tourists annually and GTDC is eventually looking at bringing in every tourism stakeholder whether tourist taxis, souvenir shops, guest houses, restaurants etc under cashless business.
Nilesh Cabral, chairman, GTDC stated, “GTDC moves ahead of time and we have one more feather in our cap. I am extremely pleased that GTDC introduced cashless transactions several months ago. Today the world has already logged in to cashless processes and India would have eventually introduced the same. GTDC has succeeded in professionalising the services through cashless systems and we are fully geared to deal with it post December 31, 2016.”