If you are planning a trip to Goa, you have one more element to spice up your itinerary. After suspending services temporarily for months because of the Coronavirus scare, casinos in Goa are finally back in business. By Kumar Shree
Much like the rest of the country, Goa was also under lockdown for months. Now that the popular tourist destination is welcoming travellers back once again, many services are also reopening simultaneously. Shortly after resuming water sports activities, now the sunshine state’s casinos have swung open their doors as well.
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As reported by India.com, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant shared the decision through a press conference. In the report, he is quoted as saying, “From November 1, we have given the casinos permission to start. They will have to follow all the SOPs as will be issued to them by the Home Department, and with 50 per cent capacity, they can start. We need to promote tourism activity.”
In another update, these casinos will now need to pay their license fee on a monthly basis. Earlier, it was paid on an annual basis.
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Notably, a few days ago, Goa also reopened its beach shacks and water sports facilities—both of which are major crowd pullers. Shacks along Calangute, Anjuna and Candolim beaches, especially, are widely popular.
On the other hand, casinos are also a major source of attraction for tourists in Goa, where six are located onshore, and 10 other operate out of five-star resorts.
With respect to the COVID-19 protocols for visiting Goa, the state earlier required tourists to carry a valid COVID-19 negative test certificate. The rule, however, has now been abolished. The only prevailing condition requires tourists to adhere to the COVID-19 safety protocols at all times to prevent any future Coronavirus outbreaks.
Related: Beach Shacks In Goa Are All Set To Return From November, Details Here