The Maharashtra tourism development corporation (MTDC) is in talks with its Goan counterpart for the joint promotion of the two states through tourism road shows conducted in India and abroad, Jagdish Patil, MD, MTDC, recently said at an event in Panaji.
MTDC has already begun splurging on several innovative tourist attractions near the Goa border-a 1,400acre ocean-theme park at Malvan, amphibious seaplanes linking Konkan backwaters and the luxurious Deccan Odyssey train that also visits Goa,
“We are already collaborating with several Indian states for tourism, and Goa is an important center for us,” Patil said, promising that infrastructure developments close to the border, like the Chipi international airport would not threaten Goa’s tourism.
Patil was in Goa for a road show during which he promoted the little-known attractions in Maharashtra, like the 5,00,000-year-old Lonar crater lake ,the Konkan Kada cliffs from where a full-circle rainbow can be viewed and the Khaus valley, famous for its wildflowers.
Speaking about the massive ocean theme park being planned near Malvan, on a 1,400acre stretch of table-top summit in the Sahyadris, Patil said, “The project will be undertaken under the PPP model, and we will shortly float global tenders for the various attractions within the park, including an amusement park, a marina, an oceanarium housing the flora and fauna from oceans across the world, five-star hotels and jungle resorts. The park will be connected to the Chipi airport and other surrounding centres, including Goa via metro rail, and a monorail will provide connectivity within the park,”he explained. Architects and planners from Europe have been roped in to design the project, which will have investments running into thousands of crores, he added.
