Goa tourism to rope in private sector to develop eight sites on themes other than beaches

MUMBAI: Goa’s tourism department will soon invite private sector participation to develop six resort properties and two other sites, as the state explores ways to bring in high-spending tourists. The projects will be offered on a build-operate-transfer basis to private parties, said two people involved in the process.

The terms of the public private partnership (PPP) projects will include an upfront payment and a revenue sharing arrangement, they added. Tourism accounts for about 20% of Goa’s revenues. In 2014, tourist arrivals in the state grew by 30%.

“Leasing out of GTDC resorts on PPP basis is a great initiative that will create world-class facilities on themes other than beach tourism,” said Amber Dubey, partner at KPMG, the audit and consultancy firm that is advising Goa Tourism Development Corporation on the projects.

Nikhil Desai, the managing director of GTDC, said public-private development of tourist attractions in the state would include an Oceanarium (aquarium that uses the sea) at Miramar beach, a ropeway across the Mandovi river, and a family water park in Bicholim, among other facilities.


The ropeway will take tourists from Panjim into fort Reis Magos across the river. Repositioning Goa Desai said the aim is to reposition the state as more than just a beach destination.

“We envisage Rs 2,000 crore of investment for eight projects that we are tendering later this month,” he said, adding, “The total land being offered at the eight sites is 5.5 lakh square metres.” The Oceanarium will come up in place of a 52-room GTDC resort, and will have a five-star hotel nearby. The water park and another five-star resort are to come up at the site of GTDC’s Mayem Lake resort. At Anjuna, where GTDC does not have a resort property, land is being offered for development into a wedding destination within a five-star hotel.

Marina on the River At Britona, where GTDC has a dormitory, the land is being offered for a marina on the river and a five-star hotel. At Colva, where GTDC has a 48-room resort, the state government has planned a boutique hotel. Apart from these, GTDC has planned a convention centre at Farmagudi in place of its 40-room resort. It is also offering land at Kesarval near the Dabolim airport for a business hotel. “The objective is to attract marquee names for these properties and add fivestar rooms to the hotels inventory in the state,” said Desai. The tendering process for these is likely to be completed by June this year.

New Airport Apart from these projects, the state has planned to build a new airport to overcome the limitations of the existing one at Dabolim. KPMG’s Dubey said the proposed airport could boost tourist arrivals. In the last six months or so, GTDC has also invited bids for tourism services. These include 450 toilets and changing rooms, luxury yacht services, Segway tours, hop-on hop-off bus service, motorised paragliding and hover crafts. GTDC is also negotiating with Pawan Hans for a helicopter tourism service.