Lakeside theme park proposed at Mayem to boost tourism

TEAM HERALD

teamherald@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: In its efforts to boost tourism and attract domestic and international tourists, the government has proposed to create a lakeside Theme Park, at Mayem, Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar informed State Legislative Assembly Friday.

Parulekar said that about 1.6 lakh sq mtrs of land is to be acquired for the project and for supporting infrastructure. “Goa Tourism Development Corporation has put up a proposal for a theme park. An RFP (request for proposal) will be issued soon. Goa needs a project like this,” Parulekar said, assuring that the work would begin shortly.

A couple of firms have already approached the government showing interest in the project.

Parulekar was speaking while responding to a Private Members’ Resolution Friday moved by St Andre MLA Vishnu Wagh who urged government to take necessary steps to set up a theme park in the State.

The minister said that Goa is facing tough competition from national as well as international tourist destinations. He said that efforts are being made to take Goa a step further as far as tourism is concerned.

Parulekar said that considering the fact that competition is stiff, government is working on a Master Plan for tourism, which would help in developing the sector thereby attracting high-end tourists.

Earlier, Wagh pointed out that “Goa needs a theme park which can be a major tourist attraction and shall have different entertainment venues like multi-dimensional Bollywood plays, food courts, water-world and light and sound shows in order to provide entertainment to tourists and thus fetch considerable revenue to the state.”

He said that Goa desperately needed a project like Gurgaon’s “Kingdom of Dreams” to promote tourism.  

“State has nothing to offer when it comes to family tourism. In a three day package, people are shown temples and beaches, there is nothing called entertainment or family tourism,” Wagh opined.

Wagh said that as uncertainty continues over resumption of mining activities, tourism is a sector, where government needs to focus on for revenue generation and for creating employment opportunities.