Destination Audit - Inbound

Daman: Historical heritage

A mix of history and culture, the Union Territory Daman with its ancient churches, beaches and amusement parks is trying to break away from its weekend getaway and `watering hole' image. Vikram Kharvi explores the tourism potential of this quaint erstwhile Portuguese town

Union Territory of Daman, an erstwhile Portuguese colony on the South coast of Gujarat, is a picturesque port town with an enchanting mix of beauty and culture, a destination for all seasons. Muted memories of history lie vaulted in the monuments of Daman, gathering a slime of time. Quiet and peaceful Daman is famous as the only other 'watering hole' besides Diu (Union Territory) of the 'dry' state. Daman offers the pleasures of wondrous natural sights with the quaint charms of a Portuguese town. The seaside town also has a number of resorts and hotels for a comfortable and enjoyable stay.

Daman has been able to record over 35 per cent growth in tourist arrival in the last few years. About 10 lakh tourists visited Daman last year and the figure is expected to grow even further. There are around 37 budget hotels and resorts with a capacity ranging from 10 to 75 rooms. One of the most visited places in Daman is 'Mirasol - the lake resort cum water-park', situated in an area of more than 20 acres, built around a natural lake situated in a forest.

Besides attracting weekend tourists from neighbouring Gujarat and Maharashtra, efforts are on to develop and project the UT as a destination for leisure and business tourists from across the country. For the destination to grow it has to be marketed aggressively like Goa or beach destinations of Kerala.

History

Daman or Damao, was a Portuguese enclave for more than four centuries till the end of the colonial rule in 1961. The first Portuguese Captain Diogo de Mello landed on Daman coast accidentally after his ship met with a violent storm. Mello built a small colony at Daman and subsequently it was from this place that the Portuguese spread their rule in the country. Daman witnessed many battles as other colonial powers like the English tried to oust the Portuguese. Despite the wars, the seaside town managed to remain under the Portuguese control and prospered as a melting pot of races and cultures gaining a unique multicoloured identity.

This quaint pocket with its coastline of about 12.5 km was once known as Kalana Pavri or the Lotus of the Marshlands. A laid back little town, Daman is divided by the Damanganga River. Nani Daman (or little Daman) in the north and Moti Daman (or Big Daman) in the south both sport the colonial past in the government buildings and churches designed in Portuguese style of architecture. The old fortification is also present in many parts of the town.

Tourist attractions

Located near Surat and just 12 kms from Vapi, a major industrial township and the closest railhead on the Mumbai-Delhi and Mumbai Ahmedabad route and the NH 8 (Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway), Daman due to its proximity and easy accessibility has grown more as a weekend destination.

Daman beaches gratifies the whims of sunbathers and swimmers while the historic churches with finely carved statues and quaint forts capture the interest of history buffs. The coconut groves and abundant greenery plus round the year temperate climate makes it a perfect getaway for those in search of some fun and relaxation away from the hustle and bustle of city life. Being a port town, it offers an exquisite variety of seafood fare to satisfy the demanding palates of fish lovers, while the quaint bars and seaside modern restaurants are the nightlife attractions in town. The town of late is fast emerging as a destination for corporate meets, conferences, seminars, and orientation programmes and training sessions. Today, Daman offers everything be it heritage, culture, leisure, fun, adventure and business tourism.

Challenges

The Daman Hoteliers Association (DHA) is looking at giving the destination a facelift and changing its perception as an `alcoholics paradise.' The Association is also looking at spreading awareness about the Union Territory (UT) and marketing it as a family, leisure and business destination. Gopal Tandel, president, Daman Hoteliers Association and also the owner of Hotel Miramar and Mirasol Water Park, says, "Daman receives lot of tourists from Surat and Mumbai. However, awareness about the destination is very limited in other parts of the country. We are planning to create more infrastructure, gardens and amusement parks."

The territory has five gardens created by the central Government and is being presently maintained by hoteliers from Daman. The association members realise that the territory has not been blessed with beaches like Goa and there is little scope for developing water sports, as the beach area is rocky. Instead there are initiatives in developing areas as amusement parks with rides. A water park in Nani Daman and Moti Daman has received a good response from tourists. Haresh Tangal, director, Hotel Gurukripa & Sovereign says, "The park and activities have been initiated and developed by private entrepreneurs as they also add to the attractions for the business traveller. Daman with approximately 1,600 rooms can be an attractive destination for meetings and conventions." However, Daman has just a trickle of foreign visitors and even the domestic tourists have complained about lack of sufficient entertainment, poor infrastructure and bad roads.

Opportunities

Efforts are on to spruce up the image and infrastructure of Daman and the hoteliers association is looking at cashing in on the two forts, churches and lighthouse by introducing a light and sound and developing these as tourist attractions. The government had cleared the project for the same. However, a change in the plans has seen it get mired in a tangle of red tape. The Association is also trying to popularise the destination in Maharashtra, as a weekend getaway, especially in Pune and Nashik. Tangal says, "We need to develop our tourist inflow since there is a growing supply of accommodation in Daman and the business is very seasonal. Though we have good occupancies during the season we have to search for new avenues to attract tourists to develop the destination further. The commencement of flights to and from Daman can further boost the share of foreign tourists."