New Delhi (NVI): After months of lockdown, Goa will reopen for domestic tourists from today, where the tourists will have to carry COVID-19 negative certificate in order to enter the state while 250 hotels have been given permission to resume operations, Goa Tourism Minister said.
Goa Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar announced the decision to reopen Goa for tourism.
Ajgaonkar said, “Over 250 hotels will resume operations in Goa. These hotels were granted permission by the tourism department with the standard operating procedures put in place by the state government.”
The tourism minister also said, “We have decided to allow domestic travellers to enter Goa from July 2 provided they comply with certain norms. “
“For a tourist to enter Goa, he/she will have to carry a COVID-19 negative certificate within stipulated 48 hours window or get mandatorily tested in Goa,” he further added.
The decision to restart tourism activities was made in a state cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant.
The state, a large part of whose economy is driven by tourism, was closed for tourists since March 25 when the nation-wide lockdown was imposed.
However, the Goa tourism department has so far granted permission to 250 hotels, which can operate in keeping with the standard operating procedures (SOPs) put in place by the state government.
-RJV
