Sk. Ernest Dias has completed more than 30 years in the tourism industry in Goa. He began his career in Saudi Arabia working with ARAMCO and later for Menezes Air Travel, Goa. He has worked for SITA, Kuoni, and Travel Corporation India (TCI) from December 1991, where he joined as a Senior Executive and is presently the Chief Operating Officer. Dias is the Vice President and presently Managing Committee member of Travel & Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG). He is the President Skal Club of Goa from 2018 onwards and has been instrumental in Skal Goa winning the ‘Skal Club of the Year Award’. Business Goa interviews Ernest Dias where he speaks about Skal Goa and their plans ahead
Tell us about SKAL Goa. What does the organisation aim to achieve?
Skal Club of Goa is a professional organization of tourism leaders promoting global tourism and friendship. It is the only international group uniting all branches of the travel & tourism industry.
Our mission statement reads – ‘Through our leadership, professionalism and friendship, to achieve our vision which is a trusted voice in travel & tourism, maximize networking opportunities and support a responsible tourism industry.’
Tell us about your experience in the tourism sector over the years.
I have completed more than 30 years in the tourism industry in Goa. I started from the grassroots as an airport representative and grew up to be the COO of Travel Corporation of India. I played an important role in the starting of the Thomson Charter flights to Goa in 1993. The Aurinkomatkat Charter Flight was first handled by us. Subsequently, we were instrumental in bringing and handling charter flights from Estonia, Ukraine, Russia, Poland, Iran, Kazakhstan and the UK. Presently, we are the biggest charter operator in Goa. I have also introduced charters from Russia to Kerala for a couple of years.
What does SKAL stand for?
Sundheit Karlek Ålder Lyka (Travel organization, Good Health, Love / Friendship, Long Life, Happiness). It’s a toast for wellbeing.
What are the criteria for membership? Tell us about the various members of SKAL Goa?
Membership of Skal is open to senior executives and managers directly involved in tourism management, sales and promotions in specified travel & tourism businesses including transportation (airlines, cruise lines, flight catering, travel & tourism operators, tourism organizations, Government and Non Government tourism councils and event organizers associated with travel and tourism ).
Skal Club of Goa consists of tourism professionals who are owners, senior management executives of various hotels in Goa including the 5-star rated ones. We also have members from the airlines, leading travel & tour operators, charter handlers and event management companies associated with travel & tourism.
Who is part of the leadership team and what varied contribution do they bring to the organisation?
The Leadership Team consists of a Board of Directors headed by the President, 2 Vice Presidents, Secretary, Treasurer and 8 Executive Committee Members. They are all travel & tourism professionals from a cross-section of hotels and travel & tour operators. The leadership team also consists of past presidents of Travel & Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) and members heading different tourism bodies in Goa. The contribution that they bring to the organization is their vast experience and hands-on interaction with Government Bodies and networking amongst members to bring potential business and tourism growth.
SKAL Goa’s recent achievement as ‘the best club in the world’
SKAL Goa was declared as the ‘Best Club of the Year 2020’ amongst 350+ Clubs in 87 countries across the world. The voting for the awards was made up of 2 parts. Votes from amongst all the Clubs in the World – 60% and Votes from the Executive Committee and 40% from the Judges Panel. The voting was done on the basis of a video presentation of the clubs highlighting their year-long activities namely events, seminars, talks, panel discussions, tourism presentations, interactions with tourism officials and the who’s who in the society and charities undertaken by the Club.
The Clubs receiving the maximum votes is named ‘Skal Club Of The Year’ and receives the Michael O’Flynn Perpetual Trophy as well as the free double registration for the 2021 Skal World Congress at Quebec, Canada. This achievement had been made possible due to the untiring efforts of the Executive Committee and the whole hearted involvement and participation of Club members.
What are the various programmes and initiatives that SKAL Goa has done over the last year?
Networking sessions with ministers, bureaucrats and the police for promotion of safe and healthy tourism. Motivational talks by industry leaders, industry icons and travel & tourism operators. Educational awareness sessions on food, hygiene and safety and prevention of sexual harassment of women at the workplace
Awareness campaign for a clean, eco-friendly environment and conservation – Saying no to plastic, tree plantation drive, beach cleaning, use of treated water for gardening and wet garbage converted to manure for organic farming, segregation of wet and dry garbage etc.
The club has also made donations to the poor, needy, aged, orphans, martyrs etc in the form of cash of Rs 5 Lakhs; equipment like cupboards, racks; medicines and food worth around Rs 3 lakhs. All our members chipped in by the way of food, provisions, basic necessities, jobs and accommodations for the stranded and needy and PPEs and face shields for Covid warriors. We brought out a unique one and only of its kind coffee table book with family photos, birthdays, anniversaries and blood groups of all members and family serving as a ready reckoner for all members
SKAL Goa distributed a beautiful three layer mask with the background beach and coconut trees of Goa and Skal International Goa (691) logo to Goa Skal family and important dignitaries.
What are the charity drives undertaken by SKAL Goa
Two of our members donated a sum of Rs. 100000/- each to the Don Bosco Orphanage School in Calangute. We also gave a sum of Rs. 100000/- to the Christian Art Museum. We contributed a sum of Rs. 100000/- to the Martyrs Memorial Fund.
We financed the education of a girl child at Rosary School Miramar and also for a professional course of a child at Don Bosco Junior College. We also offered utility equipment to an Old Aged Home in Calangute, Mother Mary Haven for differently abled children. We provided linen, mattresses and curtains for Old Aged Homes and Shanti Avedna Ashram.
You have a youth team called the Young Skal or Skalleagues. What is the aim of the youth team?
We have initiated our Young Skal Chapter which comprises of students from Institute of Hotel Management & Catering Technology, Porvorim. In all, we enrolled 23 Members from the first, second and third year who would in time be budding tourism professionals.
The aim of the youth team is to develop leadership skills through orientation, interaction and networking with senior Skalleague professionals in their path to pursue success in their chosen careers.
What are the various projects that you have envisaged in the near future?
We have planned programs to undertake training programmes for application of COVID SOPs, to emphasize for a safe and healthy environment, to increase the Young Skal Membership so as to build up a base of Young Skalleagues who will in time grow into active Skalleagues to take things forward in future. Support and help to needy and deserving cases. We wish to conduct motivational talks for our members at our regular meetings
