After the corona pandemic period, the tourism industry in Goa is finally getting back on track. Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) is launching new activities and services to attract tourists.
Taking another step in that direction, the Hop On Hop Off bus service, which stopped due to the pandemic, will be soon starting again. The bus service will be run on Public Private Partnership (PPP) principles and many changes have been made this year.
Prive Tourism Pvt Ltd will run the service, and the inauguration is scheduled to take place on February 18 this year.
Prive has tied up with Spain's City Sightseeing Company to operate the Hop On Hop Off bus service. The idea behind this is that tourists should get an international standard of service.
Five buses have been introduced in its fleet, of which two are double-deckers and three are single-deckers. The double-decker capacity is 48, while the single-decker is 28 passengers.
This bus route has been fixed from Old Goa to Vagator. The route is Old Goa - Ribandar - Panjim - Dona Paula - Porvorim - Calangute - Baga - Vagator.
The bus service will be available from 9 am till 11 pm, informed Bimal Singha Keisam of Prive.
Tourists can get off and on as per their choice as the bus service will run until late at night. There will be a Hop On Hop Off bus stop on the route where one can catch the bus.
A new app is being created for tracking the buses, so tourists will get detailed information about where the bus has reached. Ticket sales will be made available through local travel agents, the company's website and GTDC, Kesam said.