Goemkarponn desk
PANAJI: On Friday, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Piyush Goyal urged the Goa government to develop a policy to encourage homestays and leverage the tourism potential by targeting high-value tourists.
At an interaction with industry leaders in Panaji, Goyal said that he would form a small working group of state and Union ministry officials to promote tourism in the coastal state.
“There is massive potential for homestays in Goa. You can get a mudra loan as a part of the central government scheme. It is a unique way to promote tourism. Look at how Maldives is marketing itself and attracting tourists. Social media influencers and film stars are offered fully paid vacations by hotels there on the condition that they have to promote the destination,” he said.
He said that Goa was no longer a destination only during winter.
“All the advertising agencies should come to Goa to shoot commercials instead of going abroad. I urge the chief minister to simplify the rules by which these agencies can get government approvals and to not burden them with additional taxes,” he said.
Goyal said that the government was considering creating 4-5 pharmaceutical hubs in some states. “We will see how we can expand the pharma industry nationally and increase exports. We will consult with the top 20-30 pharmaceutical industry players in this regard. Several states, such as Gujarat, Goa, Hyderabad, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh, are doing well in the pharmaceutical sector. We will discuss how we can create these hubs,” added Goyal.
The minister said he would meet stakeholders of the entertainment sector to see what is required to bring them to Goa.
