PANAJI
Tourism Minister Rohan Kahunte has said that the Tourism Department is leading the charge with a strong commitment to the theme of “people, planet, and prosperity” as World Tourism Day is being celebrated on Wednesday.
Addressing a press conference on its eve, the minister highlighted significant steps taken by the department, one of which includes involving students who have completed the seventh grade and beyond into the tourism sector.
“We aim to engage with schools and instill the spirit of Goa in the younger generation. Moreover, nearly 75 colleges in Goa have established Yuva Tourism Clubs, which will help us to encourage young people to become tourism ambassadors and promote responsible tourism,” he said.
With the current year’s World Tourism Day focusing on the critical relationship between tourism and green investments, Khaunte elaborated on the importance of eco-tourism and its role in preserving the environment while providing enriching experiences for tourists.
“Everyone can become “superheroes” in the cause of preserving Mother Earth,” he said as he outlined challenges in achieving green tourism, including advancing citizen action for sustainable tourism, better measurement for improved management, protecting and involving local populations, supporting biodiversity conservation, and transitioning to sustainable infrastructure and operations.
Khaunte, also accompanied by Director Suneel Anchipaka at the briefing, introduced the “Goa Beyond Beaches” concept that aims to shift focus from coast to the hinterland and promote sustainable tourism practices. Among several other initiatives in the pipeline, he also emphasised on the homestay policy claiming more such activities will create employment opportunities to local communities.
