Goa’s hotel inventory continues to expand but demand still exceeds supply
Goa Khabar : India’s coastal state of Goa is positioning itself be a strong global gateway destination by attracting international tourists through improved air-connectivity, said the state’s Honorable Tourism Minister, Rohan Khaunte.
“We have initiated the process to increase and enhance air-connectivity with the Union government with our two airports in the state,” the Minister said at a fire-side chat at the tourism conclave here on Monday.
The state has a strong global recall, and we are trying to connect Goa directly with new markets like Poland, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan among other emerging markets beyond UK and Russia, the Minister said adding that an average foreign tourist spends nine nights in the state compared to 3-4 nights by a domestic tourist.
“Our objective is to convert Goa’s strong global recall into tourist arrivals, increase visitor engagement and encourage longer tourists stays and ensure economic benefits for local communities. We are also advocating for improved visa facilitation and stronger international connectivity,” the Minister said.
It may recalled that earlier this year in January, the state government launched a performance linked incentive (PLI) scheme for inbound international charter flights that offered targeted financial incentives to inbound tour operators based solely on actual operational performance, measured by arriving international passenger numbers and load factor.
Commenting on public private partnership to attract investments, the Minister pointed out that Goa’s hotel inventory continues to expand, especially in the four-star and five-star segments, but demand still exceeds supply.
“We are encouraging investments in: MICE Tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) wedding and cultural tourism and necessary infrastructure The goal is to create a partnership where government provides the vision and private stakeholders help execute it, ultimately benefiting local communities,” he said.
While people already know about events such as: Goa Carnival, Shigmo Festival, Serendipity Arts Festival, International Film Festival of India (IFFI) we are also promoting festivals deeply rooted in Goan traditions including São João Festival, Chikhal Kalo (Mud Festival), Spirit of Goa Festival to make Goa a year-round festival destination.
Goa is the first Indian state to talk about regenerative tourism – a step further from sustainability and its tourism contributes significantly to Goa’s economy, accounting for nearly 70 percent of the economic structure and supporting close to 40-45 percent of employment in the state as part of an inclusive economy benefiting the last man in the society.
When asked about public transport for tourists, Minister pointed out that the state has evolved and transformed its tourism since the decade of 60s that benefits and there could be few exceptions than a norm being highlighted in the era of social and digital media.
“Traditional fishermen in the state entered water sports, locals joined the taxi business, and tourism grew organically over decades. As tourism evolves, we are balancing technological transformation with inclusiveness so that local communities continue to benefit.
“While every tourist destination has its own challenges, we are seized about the issue and in the days to come we will see a change” the Minister said, assuring transitioning towards technology-driven transparent solutions.
