The Department of Tourism in the Goa Government has appointed a consortium of KPMG Advisory Services and Tourism & Leisure Advisory Services Sl (T&L) to prepare a 25-year tourism master plan for Goa.

Inputs for the master plan will come from a market survey of current and potential tourists, interactions with international and domestic tour operators, airlines and travel agents.

A committee will be formed to monitor progress made by the consultants on a regular basis.

The timeframe for drawing up the plan is 38 weeks from the date of commencement, and the consultants will be responsible for converting the master plan into executable projects.

Dilip Parulekar, Tourism Minister, Govt. of Goa, said: “The focus is to create an implementable master plan rather than blindly copy tourism products and strategies from other locations, which might not work in Goa."

"To do this, a key activity is to get inputs from all stakeholders, including the general public. This will ensure that the master plan adequately considers the impact on the Goan economy as well as focuses on preserving the social, environmental and cultural fabric of the State," he added.

The plan is expected to lay down the framework for deciding which tourism products to focus on and identify the ‘right type of tourist’ for Goa. It will develop a vision for tourism in Goa over the short-term (5-year), medium-term (15-year) and long-term (25-year).

This includes setting clear goals on elements such as number of tourists, average days spent and expenditure per tourist, contribution to Goa’s economy, job creation and entrepreneurship opportunities for Goans, and increasing environmentally sustainable tourism.

A study of Goa’s tourist carrying capacity is also proposed to provide guidance while quantifying the vision elements.

The Tourism Master Plan will suggest changes to each element of the tourist value chain, including direct tourist products, activities such as hotels, events, car rental and indirect tourist products, activities such as food suppliers, furniture and handicraft suppliers.

The tourist value chain is critically dependent on infrastructure enablers such as water, power, waste, communication, health and safety and specific recommendations on each element will be made, said a statement issued by KPMG and T&L.

Nikhil Desai, Director Tourism, Department of Tourism said, “Goa Tourism is going through exciting times. The Master Plan will set a framework for deciding which tourism products to focus on and recommend where in Goa to set them up. A key aim is to identify the ‘right type of tourist’ for Goa and develop a strategy to attract such tourists while ensuring sustainability.”

Special emphasis will be placed on cultural, heritage, eco-tourism, hinterland, wellness, MICE, wedding and adventure tourism in the plan. The consultants will also develop a tourism policy and institutional framework. The tourism policy will include a framework for resource allocation, investment, incentives and initiatives, according to the press statement.

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