Goa seeks to promote faith tourism

In an attempt to change Goa's image as a place with only good beaches and cheap liquor, the state is seeking to redefine the tourism industry by promoting faith tourism among other things, minister Rohan Khaunte on Wednesday said.

The BJP government is promoting environmental restoration, cultural preservation and community empowerment through spirituality, indigeneity, civilisational and cultural nationalism and conscious tourism, the tourism minister was quoted as saying in an official release. Goa has a rich cultural heritage including some temples known as ''South Kashi'', and 11 spiritual sites in the coastal state would be promoted under the Ekadasha Teertha scheme, he said.

The government was in talks with the Uttarakhand government to develop connectivity with Uttarkashi, he said.