~ The amphibian vessel rides is the first of its kind in India
~ The amphibian vessel joy ride services will operate on land and sea.
~ The joy rides will be carried out through two circuits: heritage and hinterland
~ Full-fledged operations of the Duck Boat joy rides will begin in November
Goa Tourism successfully launched Amphibious Vessels also popularly known as Duck Boats which is the first of its kind being used for civilian purpose (joy rides) in India.
Launched on the auspicious day of Dussehra, the event also marked another milestone for the Government of Goa and Goa Tourism and was presided by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa Mr. Laxmikant Parsekar. Others who were present at the event included Mr. Dilip Parulekar – Minister for Tourism, Mr. Nilesh Cabral – Chairman Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Mr. Sidharth Kunkoliekar – Panaji MLA, Mr. Nikhil Desai – Managing Director of Goa Tourism Development Corporation, BoDs of GTDC and other officials.
Mr. Parsekar flagged off the amphibian joy ride service and personally experienced the premiere ride in River Mandovi. Full-fledged operations of the Duck Boat joy rides will begin in November and online bookings can be done on www.goa-tourism.com.
The amphibian vehicles have been manufactured by Goa based Amphibious Design (India) Pvt. Ltd. and will be used for operations in Goa by Amphibian Tours Pvt. Ltd.
The amphibious rides will be carried out with 2 vehicles to begin with and 4 more will be added to the fleet in a phased manner.
One designated pick-up point at Panjim will cater to the tours along 2 different routes. Each tour will be for an hour and 6 time slots will be scheduled for each vehicle in a day. The maximum capacity for each vehicle is 32 seats that will be charged at Rs. 500/- per head to begin with and will later be increased to Rs. 750/-.
Circuit tours will operate from Panjim to Old Goa and Dr. Salim Ali bird sanctuary to showcase the natural and cultural treasures Goa has.
These tours aim at entertaining and educating tourists about Goa’s hinterland and its heritage. The vessels have been assembled in collaboration with Advanced Amphibious Design Inc Honolulu USA. (The world’s largest amphibious vehicle manufacturer) using a methodology and design which is cost effective, safe,
durable, and enjoyable. ADI Pvt. Ltd has tied up with Automobile Corporation Goa Limited, Honda, Goa where the amphibian vehicles have been assembled.
Honorable Chief Minister, Shri. Laxmikant Parsekar said at the launch, “We are very happy to start Duck Boat tours in Goa. The launch of these services will definitely boost tourism in the state. With this service, we are optimistic about attracting high-end tourists who travel to enjoy unique experiences. An adventure service as unique as this will create excitement and attract tourists by tapping into their curiosity and thrill seeking instincts. It is a novel concept in India with the excitement of touring the state on land and water.”
Minister for Tourism, Mr. Dilip Parulekar said, “The amphibian vessel rides is the first of its kind in India and Goa has the privilege of offering something new and novel to the tourists visiting Goa this season. It must be pointed out that the duck boats have been manufactured in Goa and will be operated by a Goan based company.”
Chairman, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Mr. Nilesh Cabral said, “The GTDC has been introducing new adventure activities every year and every season. This time, the Amphibian Vessels/ Duck Boats will be the new addition to our portfolio of adventure activities.”
Managing Director of ADI, Carlos de Sousa said, “This project is a starting point in our endeavour to provide such quality services to the State of Goa.”
