From Our Special Correspondent
Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Oct 16: In a sharp contrast to the show put up for the maiden International Travel Mart (ITM),  Goa today said that it does not want to promote the Casinos as a tourism attraction.

Goa Tourism Development Corporation’s Managing Director Nikhil Desai today said that  the Goa government does not try to promote casino in its official communication.

The ground reality at the ITM which began in the state since Thursday is different.  Huge makeshift facility put up at the erstwhile D B Bandodkar ground has Casino stalls right at the entrance followed by pavillions of other participants.

The major casino operators in the state including  ‘Casino Royale’, ‘Casino Carnival’, ‘Chances Casino’ and others have displayed their gaming tables right at the entrance of the ITM.

Goa is the only state to have off-shore Casinos which have become bone of contention after ships mounted with the gaming equipments refused to leave Mandovi river waters in Panaji city.

Desai said that the casinos will have to follow certain guidelines based on which they are allowed to operate in the state.

Talking to reporters after the seminar, Desai said that the stalls were allotted on first-cum-first-serve basis. “Government is not spending anything on promoting Casinos. They are legally operating in Goa and hence we have given them the space,” added.

The MD was participating in the seminar held during the event, this aftenoon which was participated by representatives from Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Kerala states.

Managing Director (MD) of the Maharashtra Tourism Development Corporation (MTDC) Kiran Kurandkar said that the Maharashtra government is not inclined towards promoting Casino-related tourism Karnataka on the other hand said that to have or not to have casinos is a bigger question as  other state agencies are also involved in the process.