Panaji, Jun 24 (IANS): The Goa government is likely to take key decision on the resumption of tourism activity in the state with the next eight days, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday.

"Small and big hoteliers are all demanding that the tourism industry should restart. The government is thinking positively about it. A decision will be taken in eight days, in order to give relief to the tourism business," Sawant said.

Speaking to reporters at the state Secretariat here, he said that hoteliers would have to ensure that each room was sanitised after departure of guests, as part of a new SOP for the hotel sector. Only those hotels which are ready to follow such conditions would be permitted to resume operations, he added.

The Chief Minister also said that the existing norm of mandatory testing for those visiting Goa would also be continued with, once tourism activities resume.

Asked if resumed tourism activities wont't cause crowding at public places, he said: "Tourists do not go to public places. They do not go to bus stands and marketplaces."

Sawant said that there was need to inculcate a civic sense and hygiene-related discipline in public places.

Commenting on a steep increase in coronavirus cases in numerous containment and micro-containment zones in Goa, Sawant said that the trend was expected to continue.

After remaining a zero-Covid state for more than a month, Goa has seen a steep increase in active cases since late May. The state is one of the top tourism destinations in the country.

The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa had in a letter to Sawant last week warned of increased unemployment if the state government did not take adequate steps to restart the severely-hit Goa tourism sector.