PM Modi’s digital push: Goa tourism shifts its services on cashless payment facilities

As Goa works its way towards becoming India’s first cashless society, the state tourism department has shifted majority of its services on cashless payment facilities, in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push for digital India.

“Whether hotel reservations, package tours, cruise rides or any other tourism service, the Goa Tourism Development Corporation has introduced systems that have facilitated cashless transactions, both online and offline,” GTDC Chairman Nilesh Cabral said on Thursday.

“Cashless facility is made possible by GTDC through online web portal, booking of services and products through mobile app available on iOS and android platform at GTDC residencies and restaurants through point-of-sale (POS) machines, thus enabling a 360 degree approach to the new cashless system,” he said.

The GTDC is also working to introduce pay wallets and talks are underway with leading service providers so that it can be accepted as another mode of cashless payments.

“To further this process, the launch of the new e-commerce portal and mobile app in February this year has provided a foolproof platform for e-business and cashless transactions, also bringing other tourism stakeholders into the cashless circuit,” Cabral said.

As per GTDC’s records, cashless transactions to the tune of Rs 2.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh are executed daily for various services provided by the corporation, which is in addition to cashless transactions recorded on its e-commerce portal and mobile app, he said.

GTDC’s General Manager (Hotels) Gavin Dias 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.”

Dias said in addition to cashless business for hotel accommodation, GTDC, through the e-commerce portal, has direct tie-ups with more than 160 hotels and also with channel managers like Staah and Maximojo for tourists to book accommodation using cashless modes of transaction.

Cashless transactions have already become very popular and an easy way out for both tourists and tourism stakeholders, he said.

Goa attracts more than 5 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.