PANJIM: After initial delay, the State Tourism Policy 2020 and the Tourism Master Plan was approved by the State Cabinet chaired by the Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant today.
The Cabinet also granted its nod for waiver of 50 percent licence fees for beach shacks, as demanded by the shack operators in view of current pandemic.
The policy, which allows formation of the Tourism Board, was long overdue.
Addressing press conference after cabinet, Sawant said that the Tourism Policy 2020 and Master Plan has been approved by the cabinet. He said both were long pending.
Disclosing the highlights of the policy, Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar said that the policy has provision for formation of the Tourism Board. “We will now constitute the Board with experts from several fields as its members. The Board will take call on tourism infrastructure as well as promotion and marking of Goa at international level,” he explained.
The Minister said the policy speaks about promoting eco-tourism, hinterland-tourism, adventure and sports tourism, education and cultural tourism, apart from beaches, heritage and religious places.