PANJIM: Tourists visiting the State have been urged to explore Goa beyond beaches as Goa Tourism Policy 2020 emphasises on eco-tourism, hinterland tourism and other attractions.
Addressing a domestic road show in the capital city, Tourism Secretary J Ashok Kumar said the tourism policy aims at shifting tourism from coastal to hinterland. He also emphasised that holidayers visiting Goa should explore the State beyond beaches.
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The Tourism Policy 2020, that aims at making Goa the most preferred destination by 2024, speaks about shifting focus from the popular beaches in Goa to the ignored wilds and eco-tourism with plan being chalked out to get attention from different tourist groups by way of different cultural, heritage, eco-tourism, nature, coastal and other attractions.
The Union Ministry of Tourism organised a domestic tourism road show through its India Tourism office on Saturday. The Business to Business event was the second in series of domestic tourism road shows in the western and central region the ministry planned since the COVID-19 outbreak.
Kumar also informed about the State having a dedicated agency for Beach Cleaning and forthcoming initiative of having a dedicated Police Force for all beaches.
Last year, Goa government had announced deploying additional police force to prevent visitors from drinking on the beaches besides ensuring everyone’s safety.
This road show featured fruitful engagement between tour operators from Maharashtra and Goa. This event was one of the series of road shows being organised in the Ministry of Tourism’s Mumbai Office (Western & Central Region). Maharashtra Tour Operators delegation consisted of 15 tour operators who drove into Goa to experience the road travel which is now gaining popularity as travel is unlocking across the country. Thirty members of the TTAG including its president Nilesh Shah, hoteliers, tour and travel operators and other allied operators participated in the road show.
Additional Director General Rupinder Brar, who inaugurated the show, spoke on how domestic tourism, when developed in a meaningful, sustainable and complementary way to international tourism, offers India an exceptional platform for year-round tourism.
“This would mean a relentless determination to drive up quality, whether accommodation, hospitality or customer service,” Brar said.
She also spoke about the several initiatives being taken by the Ministry of Tourism in rebooting the tourism sector and the Dekho Apna Desh Campaign and the famed Dekho Apna Desh Webinar Series.
