Tourism corp posts highest-ever profit

Panaji: Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), which registered a profit of Rs 15.8 crore in 2021-22 — its highest ever — on Friday handed over a cheque of Rs 45.3 lakh (towards dividend) to chief minister Pramod Sawant.
Tourism minister Rohan Khaunte, GTDC chairperson Ganesh Gaonkar, and other senior tourism officials presented the cheque to the CM.
Khaunte said that GTDC has been able to earn a profit by managing its residencies (hotels) professionally, and by securing other sources of income.
“Residencies have been the major source of earning. Parcels of land were tendered, and brought revenue. They were either underutilised or non-utilised for the longest time,” said Khaunte.
The introduction of new tourism services over the last few years, in partnership with private players, also contributed towards its revenue, he said. Khaunte added that the department’s decision to follow a “private investment mode” to develop its unused properties will bring in revenue and also create jobs.
He said that various permissions required for proposed hotel projects to be built on GTDC lands, as well as for a ropeway project, have been obtained.