Goa Tourist Department added another attraction for the tourist in the coastal state with the launch of a vessel known as Goa Duck Tours (Duck Boat) which is first of its kind used for joy rides and can run on both, land and water. While the vehicle has been flagged off on Tuesday, the full-fledged operations of the Goa Duck Tours will begin in November and online bookings will be through the Goa tourism website. Read the complete report here.
[su_expand more_text=”READ MORE” less_text=” ” height=”0″ hide_less=”yes” link_style=”button” link_align=”center”]According to the sources, speaking at the launch, Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar said that Goa is the first state in India to launch an amphibious vehicle and adventure tourism activities like amphibious vehicle rides will attract more tourists to the state.
Stating that many states were vying to introduce a similar project, the Chief Minister, after experiencing the joyride on River Mandovi, said, “It was a unique and thrilling experience. The way it was of a first of a kind, for most of the tourists, it would be for the first time, as it is the first amphibious bus being introduced in the country. I think the way I have enjoyed; it would be a thrilling experience for all those who take a ride.”
State Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar also present at the event said, “The amphibian vessel rides is the first of its kind in India and Goa has the privilege of offering something new and novel to the tourists visiting Goa this season. It must be pointed out that the duck boats have been manufactured in Goa and will be operated by a Goa-based company”. The amphibian vessels have been manufactured by Goa-based Amphibious Design (India) Pvt Ltd and will be used for operations by Amphibian Tours Pvt Ltd, an official said.
The Chief Minister said that Goa is witnessing a gradual growth in the number of tourists visiting the state and the government need to cater to their expectations by introducing new facilities. “Many domestic, as well as foreign tourists, are flocking to Goa mainly during holidays and especially during the weekends. When they are in Goa, we should provide them with various facilities so that when they return, they can take a good image of Goa along with them,” he said.
One designated pick-up point at Panjim will cater to the tours with different routes. Each tour will be for an hour and six-time slots will be scheduled for each vehicle in a day. The route will operate from Panjim to Old Goa including Dr. Salim Ali Bird Sanctuary to showcase the natural and cultural treasures of Goa. The maximum capacity for each vehicle is 32 seats and the tour comes at a price tag of Rs 500 per head.
The amphibian vessels have been manufactured by Goa-based Amphibious (India) Pvt Ltd and will be used for operation by Amphibian Tours Pvt Ltd.
Various Sources
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