TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
MARGAO: Calling upon the government and the stakeholders in the tourism industry to explore the possibility of further diversification to promote tourism in Goa, Governor Bharat Vir Wanchoo on Wednesday underlined the need to promote cruise shipping and aggressively sell Goa as a monsoon destination.
“I think cruise shipping could be a path-breaking development in our efforts to carve out a prominent niche in the world of tourism, thereby showcasing the state as a top tourist destination. Cruise shipping could help in the growth of diverse sectors and generate enormous employment and economic opportunities. This area needs an in-depth study by all stakeholders in the tourism and hospitality sector,” he said, while addressing a meeting of SKAL International Goa at a Fatrade resort on Wednesday.
He said the conversion of many beautiful old Portuguese and Goan houses to small heritage hotels will attract a different class of tourists to the state. “I feel that tourism stakeholders and the government should explore such possibilities in full earnest to diversify further to promote tourism in Goa,” he said, adding “there’s a crying need to for a meaningful diversification by developing a new strategy to promote eco-tourism in the hinterland.”
Saying that tourism should be promoted on a sustainable basis in Goa, the Governor underlined the need to pay serious attention on the creation of high quality infrastructure and facilities that will attract tourists, particularly those from the upper crust of society from all parts of the world.
Earlier, SKAL president Mario Sequeira welcomed the government and highlighted the role played by the organisation in the tourism industry. He said the motto of SKAL is to reduce the bad part of competition and to improve and increase building up of business, not in cartel form, but in friendship form by utilising the resources.
The governor later felicitated the children of SKAL members who have excelled in the field of education, sports and other fields.
