Aim is to make Goa tourism tech destination offering sun, sea, sand and software: Minister Khaunte

Panaji: Goa, which is known as one of the world’s foremost ‘sun, sand and sea’ tourism getaways, will soon add another ‘S’, as in software, to its repertoire, which will make it a ”tourism tech” destination, state minister Rohan Khaunte said.

Speaking at the First Incredible India International Cruise Conference organised by Union Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways in Mumbai on Saturday, the minister said the country follows a model of cooperative, collaborative and competitive spirit of federalism, and nation building can happen only when states progress.

”Sun, sea, sand and software is something we are trying to sell to promote the tourism-tech concept. Goa has a population of 15 lakh but some 80 lakh tourists visit the state annually. Around 1.49 lakh tourists arrived through cruise tourism in Goa between 2017-2020, of which 57 per cent were from Europe,” he said.

”So far Goa has been selling only sun, sand and sea. Now, we are looking at the opportunities like hinterland, heritage tourism etc to help the economy grow. While India is getting ready to be a cruise hub, Goa has a great opportunity in it as it has the potential of air, road and port” he added.

Through the Centre’s Sagarmala project, Goa is connected to Chennai, Mumbai, Visakhapatnam, Andaman etc, the state tourism minister said.