Claiming that its government has supported tourism with a budget of Rs 600 crore over the last three years, Gujarat tourism has come to Goa asking Goans to visit the land “where life is celebrated everyday.”

Here to announce that Gujarat will organize the world’s longest dance festival ‘Navratri’ from September 19 to September 27, the Tourism Corporation of Gujarat Ltd (TCGL) said that Gujarat offers tourists a variety of experiences from “fascinating landscapes, exotic beaches, the only abode of Asiatic lions, remains of an ancient civilisation, to exquisite cuisines, fairs and festivals.”

“Gujarat is a land of fairs and festivals. Gujarat is the only place in the world having approximately 12,365 fairs and festivals in a year which means life is celebrated almost everyday in Gujarat,” said Sanatan Pancholi, resident manager TCGL.

Pancholi said that the Gujarat government was expecting a turnover of almost Rs 100 crore over the nine-day-long Navratri festival celebrated across the state. “The government expects to generate a turnover to the tune of Rs 100 crore during the nine-day festival from various sources,” Pancholi said.

In 2007-08, Gujarat received 1.70 crore tourists with foreign tourists accounting for 8.50 lakh of that number. “In 2005-06, Gujarat received 70 lakh tourists, so the numbers have really shot up over the last three years,” Pancholi added.

Gujarat expects around 20,000 non-resident Gujaratis and non-resident Indians for the coming Navratri festival itself. “Most of our tourists are from Maharashtra, Karnataka, Rajasthan, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, UP and Haryana. We get tourists from Goa also,” the TCGL resident manager said.

Also present was Kamalesh Patel, chairperson, TCGL. “Excellent arrangements have been made for the Navratri festival wherein during the daytime one can enjoy various destinations of Gujarat which will be a guaranteed experience of a lifetime. During the night, one can be a part of spectacular garbas anywhere in Gujarat. TCGL has worked out eight hubs or centres wherein a tourist can come and stay and visit nearby destinations during the daytime and enjoy Navratri during the night. These hubs have been carefully chosen in a strategic way to ensure proper connectivity through air, road and rail and also the accommodation so that all inbound tourists are given proper facilities for transport accommodations, leisure activities, food and beverages,” he said.