World Tourism Day celebrations held in the state

Times of India | 1 month ago | 30-09-2022 | 06:42 pm

The World Tourism Day celebrations commenced with a mini rally. The rally was flagged off from Dona Paula circle to Miramar and back. The rally had non-fuel based vehicles including bicycles, e-bikes, and electric vehicles. Shekhar Divadkar, SKAL President of Goa said, "The events are focused on Sustainable Tourism. The EV rally magnifies the relevance of the steps being taken and drives home the message of adopting a sustainable approach." Simultaneously, to soak in the history of the culturally rich state, walking tours were organised in Margao, Panaji, Old Goa, and Saligao during the day. The tours highlighted the rich history and heritage of the state. Goa is a culinary destination which has diverse offerings. Cidade de Goa along with Institute of Hotel Management Goa and in collaboration with TTAG organised a culinary contest for students of hospitality and home-based foodpreneurs. Tourism stakeholders along with the Chief Minister of Goa and other dignitaries will converge at the Taj Hotel and Convention Centre to discuss and deliberate on the future of tourism in the state and its potential growth in the near future. Traditional folk dances which are unheard of in tourism circles such as lamp dance , goff, zagor,ghode modni, madragoa and veer bhadra were performed. Speaking about public transport and the challenges faced by tourists who arrive into the state, Shekhar added, "To shift towards lesser use of fuel and carpooling, TTAG encourages tourists and locals to use e-bus services for airport transfers which are presently available at the airport. There are shuttle bus services being offered from the airport to Panjim, Calangue, Margao and Cavelossim at a nominal rate of INR 200. This initiative also helps to reduce the burden of road and other connectivity issues."

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