TEAM HERALD
PANJIM: After toying with the proposal for more than a year, Goa tourism is set to get its amphibian aircraft tourism adventure project off the ground by October this year.
The high powered committee set up to fast track tourism projects, chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, has given the green signal to commence this new activity to attract tourists from the forthcoming season. “We have set the dateline for October this year to begin the amphibian aircraft project,” Nilesh Cabral, Chairman of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation said. GTDC is now the special purpose vehicle to get tourism projects on track in Goa.
Goa tourism was negotiating with Mehair who are conducting amphibian aircraft rides in the Andamans since 2011, and intends on finalising plans with the agency to conduct similar activities in Goa.
“Goa will partner the agency in terms of promotion and infrastructure,” said Cabral adding that there will be no investment partnership.
The agency will have to bring in all the aircrafts and other equipment.
At the initial stage, plans are to have the amphibian aircrafts operate in waterways located from hinterland, to the main stream inland waterways such as Selaulim to Zuari and Tiracol to Mandovi and so on.
It is also proposed to have the single engine nine seater aircrafts.
The government would get some revenue from commission on sale of tickets. The charges for the rides will depend on their duration.
It is also planned to start the helicopter rides from December 2013 subject to approvals from various authorities. Presently three agencies are eying this project even as the government intends to appoint the government run agency Pawan Hans for the same.
“Here again the government is not going to partner in investment.”
In the meantime, the Goa Tourism Development Corporation Board on Thursday gave its approval for developing GTDC properties in Anjuna and Mayem where several tourism adventure activities are being conceptualised.
An international adventure sports festival has also been approved to be held in November.
So far Goa has only one adventure sport, seasonal activity ~white water rafting.
Cabral said that while trying to boost tourism and attract tourists to Goa there was also need to get the requisite infrastructure such as toilets, changing rooms, parking and so on in place for which appointment of consultants have also been approved by the GTDC board and the HPC in a series of meetings held during the last 24 hours.
