Gujarat eyes developing vibrant water sports tourism

Panaji

The Gujarat Tourism today said it wants to have an attractive water sports activities in the state for the tourists, on the lines of those offered in Goa.

“We have already began dialogue with Goa-based National Institute of Oceanography (NIO) and National Water Sports Institute (NWSI) to help Gujarat develop water sports tourism,” Commissioner of Gujarat Tourism, N Srivastava, told reporters here today.

Gujarat attracts around 3.3 crore tourists annually who mostly visit traditional attractions like temples.

Srivastava said the state needs to work on its water sports tourism potential to increase the footfall and aims to have the water sports activity on a larger scale compared to Goa.

Gujarat Tourism officials led by state Tourism Corporation chairman Kamlesh Patel were in Goa to hold discussion with stakeholders.

The state is also working on possibility of tying up with Goa, Srivastava said, adding, of the total 3.3 crore tourists visiting Gujarat, nearly six to seven per cent are foreigners.

PTI