Beyond sun, sand and sea: How Goa plans to reinvent its tourism
At the India Today Tourism Survey & Awards 2026, Goa tourism minister Rohan Khaunte outlined a vision of his state as a year-round festival destination
Since 2022, when Dr Pramod Sawant’s government took the reins, there has been a significant effort to showcase Goa beyond its beaches. “We are speaking about other verticals and building it too—villages, adventure, wellness, culinary, heritage and tradition,” said Khaunte during the session ‘Beyond the beaches: Redefining tourism for a new India’.
Sports tourism is another area of exploration. The change in strategy is necessary to keep up with the changing thoughts and needs of tourists. “Tourists who come to Goa make it their second home or want to come back to explore,” Khaunte noted.
Goa’s lovely yellow Portuguese villas are already etched in the minds of travellers all over the globe. But Khaunte wants to add more memorable imagery. Among his initiatives is to activate a homestay policy with a special focus on women’s empowerment; and promote rural and spiritual tourism with 11 temples singled out.
Khaunte was candid about the challenges too. The absence of app-based cab services in the state has been a hot topic for a while among visitors, with occasional accusations of private players dictating terms and fleecing customers. While he admitted that digital transformation is necessary, the average Goan business owner shouldn’t be adversely affected. There’s also greater awareness that Goa is competing with international destinations, which means the need to maintain standards. “Global recall is there, but it has to translate into arrival and spending,” Khaunte added.
FIVE KEY TAKEAWAYS
* The Goa administration is actively working towards promoting the state beyond the sun, sand and sea it’s known for, with churches and temples as a focus.
* Regenerative tourism is a priority, with culture, society, environment and economy as key pillars of the policy.
* The tourism policy must factor in the interests of the local community.
* A public-private partnership model accounts for both vision and trust.
* Culture tourism is on the rise. From the Carnival to the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to Sao Joao, the effort is to make the state a year-round festival destination.
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Since 2022, when Dr Pramod Sawant’s government took the reins, there has been a significant effort to showcase Goa beyond its beaches. “We are speaking about other verticals and building it too—villages, adventure, wellness, culinary, heritage and tradition,” said Khaunte during the session ‘Beyond the beaches: Redefining tourism for a new India’.
Sports tourism is another area of exploration. The change in strategy is necessary to keep up with the changing thoughts and needs of tourists. “Tourists who come to Goa make it their second home or want to come back to explore,” Khaunte noted.
Goa’s lovely yellow Portuguese villas are already etched in the minds of travellers all over the globe. But Khaunte wants to add more memorable imagery. Among his initiatives is to activate a homestay policy with a special focus on women’s empowerment; and promote rural and spiritual tourism with 11 temples singled out.
Khaunte was candid about the challenges too. The absence of app-based cab services in the state has been a hot topic for a while among visitors, with occasional accusations of private players dictating terms and fleecing customers. While he admitted that digital transformation is necessary, the average Goan business owner shouldn’t be adversely affected. There’s also greater awareness that Goa is competing with international destinations, which means the need to maintain standards. “Global recall is there, but it has to translate into arrival and spending,” Khaunte added.
FIVE KEY TAKEAWAYS
* The Goa administration is actively working towards promoting the state beyond the sun, sand and sea it’s known for, with churches and temples as a focus.
* Regenerative tourism is a priority, with culture, society, environment and economy as key pillars of the policy.
* The tourism policy must factor in the interests of the local community.
* A public-private partnership model accounts for both vision and trust.
* Culture tourism is on the rise. From the Carnival to the International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to Sao Joao, the effort is to make the state a year-round festival destination.
Subscribe to India Today Magazine
