Goa to host roadshow in Tashkent; state announces mega temple project

The Goa Tourism Department will hold an ‘Experience Goa’ roadshow in Tashkent, Uzbekistan on September 15 as part of its ongoing global outreach campaign to promote the state as a diverse and sustainable tourist destination. According to a release, the roadshow will highlight aspects of Goa beyond its well-known beaches, focusing instead on heritage, culture, wellness, adventure, festivals, and authentic local experiences.

Travel agents, tour operators, airline representatives and dignitaries from Uzbekistan are expected to attend the roadshow, with opportunities for direct business interactions under the themes “Goa Beyond Beaches” and “Regenerative Tourism”.

Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte said that the coastal state was consciously working to expand its image as more than just a sun-and-sand destination. “Through the Tashkent roadshow, we wish to showcase not just Goa’s scenic beauty, but its heritage, wellness, festivals, and adventure,” he said.

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Tourism Director Kedar Naik added that the initiative would help position Goa as a year-round travel destination. He noted that the event would strengthen connections with Uzbekistan’s travel industry and encourage long-term collaborations.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced a separate cultural initiative on (September 10), confirming that the state government will construct a “representative” temple in memory of the over 1,000 temples demolished during the Portuguese colonial period.

The state cabinet has approved plans for “Koti-Teerth”, a mega temple complex spread across 10,000 square metres on Diwar Island, the historic site where the Saptakoteshwar temple once stood. “The new temple would be dedicated to the temples demolished during the Portuguese era,” Sawant said.

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Citing findings from a committee of archaeologists and historians, Sawant said over a thousand temples were destroyed during the colonial period. “The government did not think it feasible to reconstruct all of them. Hence, we decided to construct a representative temple on Diwar Island where the historic Saptakoteshwar temple had been razed by the Portuguese,” he explained.

He recalled that after the destruction of the original shrine, the deity’s lingam had been relocated to Narve village, where Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj later built a new temple.