Goa harpes on event-tourism
Sandesh Prabhudesai
17 September 2002
Rather than simply selling idyllic
beaches, greenery and Feni, Goa is now entering
into the arena of event-tourism, by hosting several
national and international sports and infotainment events
in the coastal state.
It includes the most ambitious plan
to make the tiny western coastal state a permanent venue
for the international film festivals.
To begin with, however, Goa this year
is hosting the World Junior Chess championship for a
fortnight, little before Christmas, in the month of
December.
"We will support any event that will
project Goa as a tourist destination", states chief
minister Manohar Parrikar.
With the state support, the international
hash championship is already taking off by month end
in South Goa, where most of the five star hotels are
located along Asia's longest coastline.
Goa has however literally fought to
score over Kerala and West Bengal and earn the right
to host the World Junior Chess championship, from December
8 to 21, at Cidade de Goa Resort, near Panaji. Over
136 countries are expected to participate in the event.
Following this, Goa is also organising
a weeklong international export marine product exhibition
in February, pulling down almost 10,000 exporters. "We
expect around 40,000 visitors from all over the globe",
states Parrikar.
Though Goa was also hit by the post-11
September recession last year, the coastal state still
recorded nearly nine per cent growth in the tourist
arrivals. But it was mainly due to 15 per cent rise
in domestic tourists against 11 per cent drop in foreign
arrivals.
As such political and economic factors
keep on affecting the tourism industry here, Parrikar
hopes that event-tourism could help sustainability of
the hospitality sector, as Goa is otherwise considered
a safe and peaceful destination.
Exploiting his clout with the central
leaders like information and broadcasting minister Sushma
Swaraj, the state BJP chief minister has strongly bid
to make Goa a permanent centre to host international
film festivals, on the lines of Cannes.
While national capital is becoming
the last choice to host the film festivals due to the
place becoming the seat of power with contingent of
ministers and bureaucratic delays, the states are also
not coming forward to host it as it becomes a central
government affair at the cost of state resources.
"But it will help Goa tremendously
as this is a favourite hub of foreign tourists", feels
Parrikar. He expects the event-tourism to promote Goa
on the international map with a wide media coverage,
while also providing it as a security measure for sustainable
tourism.
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