Consultant-Advisor-Resource Person through the Centre for Responsible Tourism (CRT)
Consultant from May 2008 to July 2008

This sector which caters to the culinary needs of the tourist is crucial. It is here that the tourist gets the authentic Goan encounter in a food setting by the beach side. These are very popular centers of meetings and the government has disregarded the rightful claims of the sector. In support of them, the CRT helped put through a policy which the shack owners in accordance with their ancestral rights to the coast and their constitutional right to livelihood, and in order to stimulate the local economy and promote safe and environmentally conscious tourism related practices for the general welfare of the coastal community of the State of Goa, developed a  policy line with the objective of establishing a just and comprehensive Beach Shack Policy under the Ministry of Tourism, Government of Goa.

The shack business started in the 1960’s in Goa was to be seen as a matter of Self-Employment/Small entrepreneurship. The traditional Fisher folk were the pioneers of this business; selling soft drinks and food to the tourists on the beach. In more ways then one, shacks became the corner stone and a unique aspect of the Tourism Industry in Goa. The inherent hospitality instincts of the coastal communities made Goa a very attractive destination for tourists from all over the world. Moreover, with tourism altering livelihood patterns on the coast, fisher folk, toddy tappers and others who lost their traditional livelihoods to tourism found an alternate means of making a living from tourism trough the shack business. The shack not only typified the best aspects of Goan hospitality; it also provided the tourist a space where they could encounter Goan culture through authentic Goan food and music.

Traditional shack owners by nature tend to protect the coast being its inhabitants; hence they use sustainable environmental practices such as recycling of materials used for the shacks, use of local materials and resources and adopting generally environmentally friendly practices. Because traditional shack owners are familiar with the coast and the economic resources available they are able to provide authentic food at moderate prices which is an attraction to the tourist.

Our policy proposals and the collective strength of the Shack Owners resulted in a policy where close-85 % of their demands was met. These included a just Licensing policy, and a system of accountability between government and the shack owners.