Diu, the serene island town in the Gulf of Khambhat off southwestern Gujarat, is gearing up for a makeover — recast as a mini Goa, minus the lure of casinos and nightlife.
Keen to move beyond its reputation as a weekend escape for drinkers from dry Gujarat, the administration is exploring a dramatic shift: a plan to lease out the 16th-century Portuguese-built Diu Fort for destination weddings and rebranding the beach town as a family-friendly retreat.
“Diu will soon be Goa minus the casino and nightlife,” Diu collector Rahul Dev Boora told ET. “Both Diu and Goa share a Portuguese legacy, but for tourists seeking a family getaway, Diu will always have the edge.”
He said the administration is developing two promenades, a ropeway and new roads to enhance the appeal of this 40 sq km tiny coastal enclave, part of the Union Territory of Daman and Diu.
“We are planning to rent out Fort Diu for weddings and big events. With Taj (Hotels) set to manage three government properties as upscale hotels – including our Circuit House, which is already operational under its Ginger brand – Diu will soon have ample luxury accommodations to cater to its high-end tourists,” he said.
A curious trend, however, defines Diu’s tourism – more domestic visitors come for the day than those who stay the night. Official figures available with the district administration reveal that in 2024, the beach town welcomed 379,000 domestic tourists and 1,392 foreign visitors. Yet, an additional 402,000 domestic tourists arrived only to leave by sundown, a pattern largely driven by drinkers from dry Gujarat flocking to its shores.
Now, the administration wants to rewrite that narrative, nudging Diu toward a destination where visitors stay longer, not just pass through.
Yatin Fugro, president of the Diu Hotel Association and owner of Azzaro Resort and Kohinoor, calls the town a quintessential weekend getaway where “hotel occupancy peaks on Saturdays”. “The tourism policy should focus on attracting quality travellers to Diu, one of India’s cleanest districts. We need responsible tourists who respect our beaches, not those who leave them littered,” he said, emphasising the need for longer runways and night-landing facilities to enhance accessibility.
Fugro is blunt about the kind of visitors Diu could do without. “The ‘sharab peene wala (liquor drinker) crowd’ brings little value to our economy or tourism,” he said.
According to collector Boora, a direct flight between Goa and Diu is set to take off this month, with another route to Delhi in the pipeline.
For now, Diu relies on direct flights from Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Surat, while daily helicopter services bridge the 650-km road gap between Daman and Diu.
“We are in the process of acquiring land to expand the airport’s runway,” Boora said. “Once extended, larger aircraft will be able to land here.”
Mukeshbhai, a Rajkot-based driver who frequently ferries tourists to Diu, said many visitors heading to Somnath Temple (90 km away) and Gir Forests (70 km away) make it a point to stop by the beach town. “But the roads here have been under construction for years,” he sighed. “Diu is still a town of cranes.”
Keen to move beyond its reputation as a weekend escape for drinkers from dry Gujarat, the administration is exploring a dramatic shift: a plan to lease out the 16th-century Portuguese-built Diu Fort for destination weddings and rebranding the beach town as a family-friendly retreat.
“Diu will soon be Goa minus the casino and nightlife,” Diu collector Rahul Dev Boora told ET. “Both Diu and Goa share a Portuguese legacy, but for tourists seeking a family getaway, Diu will always have the edge.”
He said the administration is developing two promenades, a ropeway and new roads to enhance the appeal of this 40 sq km tiny coastal enclave, part of the Union Territory of Daman and Diu.
“We are planning to rent out Fort Diu for weddings and big events. With Taj (Hotels) set to manage three government properties as upscale hotels – including our Circuit House, which is already operational under its Ginger brand – Diu will soon have ample luxury accommodations to cater to its high-end tourists,” he said.
A curious trend, however, defines Diu’s tourism – more domestic visitors come for the day than those who stay the night. Official figures available with the district administration reveal that in 2024, the beach town welcomed 379,000 domestic tourists and 1,392 foreign visitors. Yet, an additional 402,000 domestic tourists arrived only to leave by sundown, a pattern largely driven by drinkers from dry Gujarat flocking to its shores.
Now, the administration wants to rewrite that narrative, nudging Diu toward a destination where visitors stay longer, not just pass through.
Yatin Fugro, president of the Diu Hotel Association and owner of Azzaro Resort and Kohinoor, calls the town a quintessential weekend getaway where “hotel occupancy peaks on Saturdays”. “The tourism policy should focus on attracting quality travellers to Diu, one of India’s cleanest districts. We need responsible tourists who respect our beaches, not those who leave them littered,” he said, emphasising the need for longer runways and night-landing facilities to enhance accessibility.
Fugro is blunt about the kind of visitors Diu could do without. “The ‘sharab peene wala (liquor drinker) crowd’ brings little value to our economy or tourism,” he said.
According to collector Boora, a direct flight between Goa and Diu is set to take off this month, with another route to Delhi in the pipeline.
For now, Diu relies on direct flights from Mumbai, Ahmedabad and Surat, while daily helicopter services bridge the 650-km road gap between Daman and Diu.
“We are in the process of acquiring land to expand the airport’s runway,” Boora said. “Once extended, larger aircraft will be able to land here.”
Mukeshbhai, a Rajkot-based driver who frequently ferries tourists to Diu, said many visitors heading to Somnath Temple (90 km away) and Gir Forests (70 km away) make it a point to stop by the beach town. “But the roads here have been under construction for years,” he sighed. “Diu is still a town of cranes.”
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