Tourism Goa aims to make a positive difference in the environment, culture, and communities, which support regenerative tourism. The goal in introducing a regenerative tourism model is to encourage the travel and tourism sector to adopt sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and the people.
To mark the 62nd anniversary of the Liberation of Goa, the state’s tourism department unveiled a groundbreaking model for regenerative tourism. This innovative approach seeks to revolutionize the Indian tourism industry by advocating environmental restoration, cultural preservation, and community empowerment through four key pillars: spirituality, indigeneity, civilizational and cultural nationalism, and conscious tourism.
In alignment with the principles outlined in the Manila Declaration of World Tourism in 1980 and the recent G20 tourism ministers’ working group meeting in Goa, which formulated the Goa roadmap for tourism as a catalyst for achieving sustainable development goals, the Department of Tourism in Goa is committed to metamorphosing the state into regenerative tourism in India.
Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said, “Through travel and pilgrimage, the Indian people have expanded their geographical knowledge throughout millennia, freeing themselves from the constraints of regionalism and parochialism. We are committed to making a positive difference in the environment, culture, and communities we interact with, and this is reflected in our support of regenerative tourism in Goa. Our goal in introducing this model is to encourage the travel and tourism sector to adopt sustainable practices that benefit both the environment and human population.”
The United Nations World Tourism Organisation defines Regenerative Tourism as “tourism that takes full account of its current and future economic, social, and environmental impacts, addressing the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment, and host communities”. The Ekadasha Teertha are spiritual sites to be decided by the Department of Tourism in consultation with the communities around these sites.
“The key is to develop mutual respect and appreciation between visitors and the hosts. We are all involved in this project, and it is important to have a sense of ownership and invest in each other and the planet. Our focus is to build communities. We are in advanced talks with entrepreneurs and innovators in the tourism sector to help local women and youth get first-hand experience on becoming commercial partners in the Ekadasha Teertha endeavour,” said Suneel Anchipaka, IAS Director, Tourism & Managing Director, GTDC.In the decades following liberation, Goa strategically embraced tourism, leveraging its historical global connections and scenic beaches for economic growth. This led to the acquisition of distinctive attributes, positioning Goa as a gateway to and from India to the globe.
“Facing unique challenges, including competition from countries like Thailand and Indonesia, modern cities like Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, and large Indian states, Goa has set its sights on innovative solutions post-COVID. Emphasizing technology adoption and collaboration, the focus is on making people and communities decision-makers in the tourism sector,” Khaunte said, adding that Goa is transitioning from a sea-shore-centric tourism model to a more inclusive, people-centric approach.
