Golf soon on Goa tourism menu

Tourists would soon be able to tee off during their vacations to Goa, with the state's very first Professional Golfers Association (PGA) standard golf course to come up soon, officials said Saturday.

The tourism department floated an expression of interest (EoI) inviting reputed developers for the project a few months ago and has short-listed a proposal submitted by Leading Hotels Pvt Ltd and the Four Seasons hospitality group.

"We have issued a letter of intent to Leading Hotels and have requested them to submit a detailed project report on the proposed golf course project," tourism department director Swapnil Naik told reporters here Saturday.

According to the tourism department, Leading Hotels edged out other bids by DLF and Oxford Properties.Undertaken on a public private partnership (PPP) basis, the proposed golf course will come up in the coastal sub-district of Pernem in north Goa.

"The proposed developers have identified Terekol in the Pernem taluka as the most ideal location for the golf course project," Naik said, adding that the golf course could be set up under the large revenue generation scheme floated by the central government for which a subsidy of up to Rs.50 crore could be availed.

"We will be partnering with the selected company to develop this PGA standard golf course. The state will not be involved in procuring land or raising revenue for the construction of the project and allied facilities," Naik said, adding that the proposed project, spread over 200 acres, will include a 150 acre international standard golf course and the other 50 acres will be utilized for allied hospitality and tourist facilities.

Reacting to the tourism department's move to set up a golf course, a spokesperson for the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) said: "Travellers from South East Asia and Japan, in particular, are avid golfers. An eco-friendly, well-designed golf course will surely add to the infrastructure for tourism and is most welcome.

"In certain cities, a well-planned golf course act like lungs due to its extensive green cover, rain water harvesting systems, ponds and eco-friendly designs which can be maintained with a limited supply of water. Goa needs such a golf course, which is built by experts in the field."

Source = mangalorean