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Hot Air Balloons and Amphibious vehicles to be launched in Goa in April

Come April 2015, Goa Tourism will give tourists an unforgettable experience in the sky and the sea with the launch of Hot Air Balloons and
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Come April 2015, Goa Tourism will give tourists an unforgettable experience in the sky and the sea with the launch of Hot Air Balloons and Amphibious vessels. Two leading agencies  have  been selected  for providing  these  high-end  tourism services  which  will  assure a dedicated, safe and thrilling experience. Camping Retreats  Pvt. Ltd.,  a renowned  Delhi-based  agency, has been selected  to provide  the  Hot Air  Ballooning  service, while   US based  consortium  with  D’Souza  Leisure  Pvt. Ltd. Goa   has been selected  to provide   the  unique Amphibious  vehicles service in the  State.

The idea of initiating these products came from the Goa Tourism Development  Corporation Limited (GTDC) as part of the larger plan to introduce new services for tourists in Goa. Buoyed  by the  success  of  White Water  Rafting and the women’s taxi services in 2014, GTDC has  set  April 2015 as the target to launch these new ventures.

Tourism Minister Shri. Dilip  Parulekar said, “Goa  Tourism  will be focusing on enriching  the  tourism  experience  of visitors to Goa through the medium of adventure and allied activities.” “Both  adventure  services  will  focus  on highlighting Goa’s hinterlands and  will  give tourists  an opportunity to  explore  the rich  geography of the state via the sky and the waterways,” said  Chairman of  Goa Tourism Development  Corporation Limited,  Shri Nilesh Cabral.

[su_frame]~These two initiatives will highlight the state’s hinterlands and maximize the use of waterways ~The Amphibious vehicles will facilitate ‘Hop On Hop Off’ tours across the state ~Hot air ballooning safaris will also be operational in Goa soon[/su_frame]

According to  preliminary  data  available  with the  GTDC,   as many as  six   Amphibious  vehicles will be introduced utilizing  Goa’s   wide  networking of  ferry  ramps. The  vessels  can operate  on water and land and  will be  equipped with  all facilities  required for  effective  and smooth  conduct of  operations. This   venture  will further facilitate  ‘Hop On Hop Off’  tours along Goa’s  inland waterways and  chain  of  jetties and  ferry  ramps,  bird  watching tours and  eco-tourism tours.  As many as 34 passengers can be accommodated per trip for duration of 30 minutes to an hour.

These boats will be manufactured in Goa with US technology in collaboration with AGCL- Goa. The Amphibious vehicles will be the first of its kind for use by civilians in the country. The  Hot  Air  Ballooning  sSafaris  will be designed  by  Camping  Retreats  Pvt. Ltd. and will induct   two  hot  air  balloons at  the   introductory phase.  The initial plan is to introduce hot air balloon tours to Dudhsagar Water Falls.

The Managing   Director   of Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), Shri. Nikhil  Desai said, “With the  launch of  the  two new products Goa Tourism will  have  a solid  portfolio   to  present  to the  world and  India and increase  footfalls  further in the months  to  come.”

Shri. Desai said  that  the   joint  ventures between GTDC  and  the  selected  agencies  will  generate  a  committed Rs 60  lakh per annum to  GTDC alone. “The    Corporation will not  be investing   in these ventures but  will provide  networking, promotion,  marketing and  permissions  required by the  service  providers,” he added. He further elaborated, “Goa needs to constantly reinvent itself as a dynamic tourist destination. The  two new products  will  give a boost  to  eco-tourism and also  provide  employment  opportunities for  Goans both  directly  and  indirectly.”

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