Panaji: Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte claimed that the number of tourist footfalls have increased during the tourism season, touching a mark of 10 million.
The official tourism season ends in Goa in June and resumes in September post monsoon.
In an exclusive interview with GNH, Khaunte rubbished the perception that the tourism footfalls have decreased in the coastal state. “The footfalls have increased. We have touched a mark of 10 million, which is more than the earlier figures,” he said.
Khaunte said that there is also rise in the international tourist arrival, which is 150 per cent more than the pre-COVID-19 figures.
The minister said that still, Goa needs to improvise by connecting to new markets. “We have prepared a vision document for the tourism industry which can be implemented only with the active participation of the tourism stakeholders. We have started working towards it,” he stated.
Khaunte conceded that there is immense competition from other players, including other Indian states after PM’s call for Dekho Apna Desh. “We have to look at this challenge of competition with other states and also international players,” he said.
The minister said that one of the challenge is to ensure that Goa is not expensive destination during the months like December.
“The cost of Hotels in Goa in December month is so expensive that tourists start looking at other destination like Thailand, which they can travel with the same budget and still save the money,” he commented.
He said that the talks would be initiated with the airlines and hotel industry to put a cap on their tariffs during the season, like December month.
Khaunte said that the state has continued receiving tourists even during the month of monsoon. “In the monsoon, there is 80 per cent occupancy of hotels in Goa. People flock to Goa during monsoon as they have realised that Goa is not only about the beeches,” he said.
“The monsoon is about waterfalls, green lush villages, forests, rural tourism . Monsoon is about getting nature trails,” he said.
Khaunte said that tourists visit the villages and realise that Goa is much more then the beaches. “This also helps to boost the rural economy,” he added.
Watch his full interview. Click here:
