Goa tourism dept to invite Shakira, Adams for rock concert

The ?waka waka? singer, Shakira, and solo-pop star Bryan Adams may be invited by the Goa tourism department to participate in a rock concert, which is an attempt to entice more tourists here.

Speaking on the floor of the House, Tourism Minister Nilkanth Halarnkar also said that the state proposes to re-launch International Sea Food Festival alongside Miramar beach.

?The International rock shows, which will be a part of annual tourism calendar, are one of the strategies to attract more and more visitors to Goa. Besides, we also intend to start the International Sea Food Festival that was stopped years ago,? the minister said in his written reply.

The tourism ministry, he said, believes that hosting the concert with the glamorous rock-singers cum songwriters would also give an upper hand to entertainment sector in the state.

?The other activities on the tourism?s annual calendar includes heritage festivals, international kite festivals, beach cricket, beach volleyball, Goa sand art festival and other events,? he added.

The state has also contemplated constituting a ?high power tourism task force? to promote tourism irrespective of whichever government is in power or who holds the tourism portfolio.

?The task force headed by the chief minister would decide various infrastructural projects required for the state including golf course, entertainment parks, boxing arenas, formula one race tracks and others,? he said adding that infrastructures in north Goa beaches would also be enhanced taking local MLAs into confidence.