Goa has some of the best beaches in the country. The coastline is over a 100 kilometres running from the north to the south. Almost every beach in North Goa is full of tourists between October and May. These account for the foreigners that come to visit or even make the state their home for this period. Domestic tourists visit all year round and have their favorite beaches in Goa. These being Baga, Calangute and Candolim beach in North Goa, Miramar beach in the center and Colva beach and Benaulim beach in South Goa.
Developing Colva beach as an iconic tourist site
Colva beach happens to be the most visited beach in South Goa. Unfortunately, this stretch of beach is not the cleanest or well maintained. A similar situation exists for the North Goa beaches. Now, the Union tourism ministry has ambitious plans to develop Colva beach as an iconic tourist site. It will be a part of ‘India’s Iconic Tourist Sites Project’.
Colva beach is the only beach that will be a part of this project. It joins 11 other tourist sites across the country that are already chosen for development. Parameters for selection included footfall, the popularity of the location, connectivity to the tourist site among others.
Goa has beaches from the north to the south but Colva beach is the only beach that has been chosen for this project. It joins 11 other tourist sites across the country that will be included in this development. Parameters for selection included footfall, the popularity of the location, connectivity to the tourist site among others.
The Union tourism ministry is also counting on the locals in the community to be a part of this development and make it successful.
Union tourism ministry secretary, Rashmi Verma, who happens to be in Goa, said, “A detailed master plan will be drawn up with a holistic approach to develop Colva beach as an iconic tourist site in Goa.”
Verma also visited Colva beach to check it’s existing condition with regards to infrastructure and other activities.
According to the Navhind Times, the chairman of Goa Tourism Development Corporation Nilesh Cabral also requested Ms. Verma to look into activities being blocked due to Coastal Reserve Zone norms.
Speaking on the topic of this development plan for Colva beach, Cabral said, “This exercise once completed will serve as a blueprint for developing other beaches in Goa.” There was mention of this around 6 months ago when the GTDC had plans for all of Goa’s beaches to have Blue Flag certification. Check out the link.
Information credit – The Navhind Times
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