I recently read on the Herald that the consortium KPMG Advisory Services and Tourism & Leisure Services have been engaged to make a master plan for tourism with a 25-year perspective.
As per the tender notice, the world-class consultant is required to prepare the tourism policy along with the master plan for tourism. Has any tourism policy been formulated based on the principles of sustainability and through a consultative approach involving all stakeholders? Why is there no tourism policy that clearly specifies the role of institutional set-up (such as tourism promotion board) for implementation of Tourism Master Plan?
Spatial plans defining different tourism zones are linked to the land-use plans of villages and towns of Goa. Therefore, the local communities are stakeholders in the formulation of the Tourism policy and master plan. Why are the detailed Terms of Reference for the formulation of Tourism Development Master Plan not available on the Tourism Department website?
Are there hidden land-use plans to meet the housing and entertainment/leisure requirements of 4 million (40lakh) 365 days tourists/new residents in Goa? As per the published Goa Development report -2011 of the Planning Commission, 40 lakh new residents are expected to live in Goa within the next 20 years. Can we allow this migrant population explosion? Why is the Regional Plan for Goa defining sustainable land-use plans not being finalised?
The Tourism Master Plan consultant KPMG is also the financial & business plan consultant for Mopa Airport. According to the PPP-cell bid document for consultancy services (September 2010) for the implementation of Greenfield Airport at Mopa (refer page 24 of115), the location of Mopa is suitable for the large-scale project that Goa wishes to launch, which will also benefit towns and cities of neighbouring States.
