PANAJI
Goa has thrown open its tourism sector to private players for the launch of a wide range of new attractions, including seaplane services, skydiving, luxury yacht tourism, floating restaurants and hot-air balloon rides, as part of a major push to transform itself into a year-round destination beyond its traditional beach tourism model.
The Department of Tourism has invited Expressions of Interest (EOIs) from private operators to introduce and run tourism activities across the adventure, marine, wellness, cultural, eco, and digital tourism sectors.
Among the activities identified by the department are jet surfing, scuba diving, heritage boat cruises, floating restaurants, luxury yacht tourism, skydiving, hot-air balloon rides, heli-tours, seaplane services and bungee jumping. Some of these activities were launched nearly a decade ago, only to be shut down soon afterwards.
Meanwhile, the proposed expansion also includes wellness and yoga retreats, heritage walks, wedding and incentive tourism, golf tourism, wildlife safaris, caravan tourism, drone shows and technology-driven attractions such as augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR) and AI-enabled tourism services.
Tourism officials said the initiative is intended to diversify Goa’s tourism portfolio, enhance visitor experiences and position the State as a year-round destination catering to a broader range of travellers.
The department has also allowed applicants to propose innovative tourism concepts beyond those listed in the EOI, provided they are sustainable and capable of transforming the tourism landscape.
To encourage participation, the government has offered support to successful bidders in securing approvals, undertaking marketing activities and facilitating infrastructure requirements on a best-effort basis.
