The annual electronic dance music festival Sunburn cannot be held at its regular venue, the beach village of Candolim, this year, as the huge crowds that gather cause inconvenience, Goa Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar said Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters, Parulekar said traffic congestion occurs during the festival, as music lovers and tourists alike throng the festival venue at Candolim beach, a popular stretch of beach in north Goa, 15 km from Panaji.
"We need this festival from a tourism perspective, because it attracts tourists. And it gets a lot of business going for the travel and tourism industry. But we cannot have it at Candolim because of the chaos it causes," Parulekar said.
"They can do it in any other place, other than Candolim," the minister said, adding that the state government would aid organisers in shifting the venue.
The Sunburn music festival was first started in Goa in 2007. It has been held annually since then, in December each year. Thousands of young people and music lovers flock to the venue from across the country.
The festival has also attracted its share of controversy over issues related to licensing, civic chaos and drug abuse.
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Speaking to the media in August, the promoter of the festival Harinder Singh had said that other possible venues for the event were being shortlisted.
"We have a few sites in mind. And it will be in north Goa," Singh had said.