Home | Travel & Leisure

‘Goa’ for it: Gambling in the Indian centre of tourism

Posted By: Isla Campbell | Posted On: 2008-06-11 | Article ID: 67549

The ‘Pearl of the Orient’ has long been a favourite stop on the backpacker’s trail and a target for those looking for a beach holiday that can only be offered by the stunning coastline that meets the vast expanse of the Arabian Sea. Since the 1960s, Western tourists have been flocking to Goa for the warm sunshine, relaxed atmosphere and history and culture that is unique to India’s smallest state.

With 12% of all foreign tourist arrivals in India heading for Goa, it is the richest state in the sub-continent, despite lacking in geographical size. In fact, it enjoys a GDP per capita that is two and a half times that of the country as a whole, owing much to the two million holiday-makers that visit each year.

There is one predominant asset that attracts these numbers – the beaches of Goa are enough to entice even the most discerning coastal expert. Anjuna beach, centre of the famous full moon parties; Baga beach, with its unspoiled beauty; Benaulim beach, with some of the state’s best seafood and the more recently discovered Colva beach, with its 20 km of virgin white sands. These beaches offer enough variety to appeal to families and gap-year travellers alike.

Despite being known historically as a beach destination, more recently Goa has invested in alternative attractions, to aim at enticing a slightly different kind of visitor. Although many backpackers may not be able to afford it, gambling is quickly becoming a popular reason to explore the area, as plans are being made to develop a gambling industry to rival that of Macau’s.

In 2007, in an attempt to up the global profile of Goa’s betting, the state hosted India’s first professional poker tournament, the Asian Poker Classic. About 140 players participated in the event, with the prize money on offer reaching $1,000,000. This had a huge effect in raising the profile of Goa’s bid to become a true world player.

For those wishing to seek out this type of entertainment, opportunities to double (or lose) ones money are first emerging offshore, where the more adventurous gambler can play American Roulette, Black Jack, Stud Poker or Pontoon. The privately-run ‘Casino Goa’ operates on a yacht, the M.V. Caravela, which cruises along the Mandovi River. The yacht is not only India's only legalised casino, however. It is also home to themed restaurants, deck-top barbeques and even a swimming pool.

Thanks to the casino, many similar venues are planned, with the owners of such establishments hoping for legal betting regulations to be relaxed, to allow the industry to continue to grow. As a result, holidays in Goa are enjoying a period of change. With an influx of visitors able to spend more than the usual backpackers and hippies ever could, Goa may not yet be challenging Las Vegas for the title ‘gambling’s world capital’, but it is certainly close to being South Asia’s casino capital.

 

Article Source: http://www.articlecell.com

About The Author
Isla Campbell
Isla Campbell writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind.



Please Rate this Article     
Not yet Rated

 


 



Ken Wilson
Author ID - 2683
    View - Ken's Profile
    View - Ken's Articles

Lee Dobbins
Author ID - 148
    View - Lee's Profile
    View - Lee's Articles

Jim McDonald
Author ID - 1638
    View - Jim's Profile
    View - Jim's Articles
 Submit Articles
 Member Login
 Submission Guidelines
 Ezine Notifications
 Popular Articles
 Article RSS Feeds
 New Stuff
 About Us
 Link to Us
 Contact Us
 Privacy Policy
 Terms of Service
 

EnterArticles.com

Submit Articles

 

Monsterputt.com

Golf Clubs and Accessories

 

MarketingAU.com

Internet Marketing Help


 

ArticleCell.com » Copyright © 2006 - 2007
Terms of Service | Submission Guidelines | Contact Us | Link to Us | Privacy Policy | About Us

Bridgestone J33R 460CC Driver | J36 Cavity Back Irons | Bridgestone Golf

Powered by Article Dashboard