Goa government to set up Tourism Policy with stakeholders inputs says CM Pramod Sawant

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday said that the government will soon set up a tourism policy for the coming seasons, after taking stakeholders into confidence. Addressing at the launch of a travel magazine in Panaji, Pramod Sawant admitted that there has been a dip in tourist arrivals in Goa for the ongoing seasons adding that the numbers would improve if stakeholders nake collective efforts in the direction.

"We have to finalise tourist policy for the coming seasons. We will consult all stakeholders, we will take their ideas... We will take all people on board and finalise new policy soon which will help in coming seasons," the Chief Minister said.

READ | Goa Budget To Give Push To Traditional Businesses: Sawant

Pramod also said, that as the mining industry has been banned since 2018, the state is dependent on the tourism industry to generate revenue.

"Now we can say that for this tourist season, there is a slowdown in tourists. If all stakeholders come together and help, more and more tourists will come," Sawant said.

The coastal state Goa is a well-known beach tourism destination that attracted seven million tourists last year. Goa attracts around 60 lakh tourists annually.

READ | Places To Visit In Goa That Will Refresh And Rejuvenate Your Mind

Goa Tourism Policy Draft

A committee headed by the Goa chief secretary has drafted a new Tourism Policy and submitted it to the state government. Director of the state Tourism Department Menino D'Souza on Thursday, January 9, said that the draft policy was recently submitted to Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar.

The evaluation committee headed by chief secretary Parimal Rai has prepared the policy, which will overlap all the similar policies drafted in the past, he said.

READ | Goa Health Minister Opposes Demand To Declare State's Sanctuary A Tiger Reserve

"All the stakeholders were taken into confidence while drafting the policy. The policy will decide the future directions for the industry," D'Souza added.

KPMG Advisory Services Pvt Ltd-led consortium had been appointed as the consultant to prepare the policy along with the tourism master plan for the state. D'Souza said the state cabinet will have to approve the policy before it is tabled in the Legislative Assembly. He said the existing Goa Tourist Trade Act will have to be amended to incorporate the features of the new policy.

READ | Goa Govt Plans World-class Skill Development Institute