Padmavati Prabhu

Panaji

The department of tourism will set up tourist facilitation centres (TFCs) at multiple public transport points in the state like airports, railway stations and bus terminus to provide audio and video assistance in various Indian and foreign languages to tourists about Goa. These centres will also assist tourists in booking of accommodations and tours and travel among others.

To begin with, TFCs have been planned at four locations – Konkan railway station, Margao; Dabolim airport; KTCL bus terminus, Panaji and Mopa airport. The department will soon appoint an agency for development, operations and maintenance of these centres.

These centres will provide necessary and accurate information through either online or printed data to the tourists which will be related to Goa’s history and culture, tourist spots, etc. Additionally, these centres will also provide internet or Wi-Fi services to tourists.

“These centres will also assist or provide booking of accommodations, tours and travel, events, activities and programmes happening in the state, day tours, farm tours through tourism department booking portals or platforms only,” the department said.

Additionally, it will also provide tourists with useful tips and help them in familiarising with the local areas in which they are located.

“The TFCs can also undertake bookings of tourists through the tourism department portals for various services like rail and road transport, accommodation (hotels, guest houses, hostels, holiday homes, etc.), tour and holiday packages, events and tourism activities (water sports, adventure activity, festival passes etc.),” the department said.

“A minimum of two staff would be deployed 24×7 for operations and assisting tourists at these centres. The staff employed would have good communication skills and would be fluent in languages including English, Konkani and Hindi and they need to have thorough information about the state,” a department official said.