Goa govt proposes Caravan tours to boost hinterland tourism

Friday, March 31, 2023

The government wants to promote Goa beyond the beaches and proposed Caravan tours to give hinterland tourism a push in the State, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant said on Wednesday. The state government has also recommended developing a home-stay policy.

“Home-stay policy aims at streamlining the registration process for home-stays and to provide encouragement to home-stay owners,” Sawant said while allocating a budget of Rs 262.85 crore for tourism this fiscal.

He claims that caravan excursions would allow tourists to experience the state’s interior while also exposing them to Goa’s rich culture and traditions.

To make things easier for visitors who travel by car, the CM announced that vehicles entering the state will be checked for documentation at the state boundaries.

“Special stickers will be fixed on all these vehicles that are checked on the border. These vehicles will not be stopped again for document verification within the State,” Sawant said.

Using the public-private partnership (PPP) model, the government also intends to develop wellness destination centres and eco-cottages in Anjunem, Sattari, and Ponda.

Tourists will also have access to facilities such as a meditation centre, an ayurvedic spa, eco cottages, and excursion activities such as bird viewing and trekking.

The CM stated that the tourism department has partnered with a private group to promote helicopter tourism in order to improve heli-tourism.

Under the Swadesh Darshan project, the government has also proposed to develop a 1,320-seat capacity state-of-the-art conference centre in Rua de Ourem in Panaji to boost Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (MICE).

A jetty terminal structure at the Santa Monica jetty has also been suggested to enhance boat tours and other tourism amenities.

Sawant stated that the Basilica of Bom Jesus and other monuments would be built under the Pilgrimage Rejuvenation and Spiritual Augmentation Drive (PRASAD) project, for which the Ministry of Tourism has sanctioned Rs 41.69 crore.

« Back to Page