Visitor numbers to Goa rose during the just-concluded tourist season, hitting the Rs 10 crore mark, Tourism Minister Rohan Kaunte said, dismissing suggestions of a decline in visitor numbers to the coastal state. (Also Read | Visiting Hawaii’s famous beaches? Here are some tips to avoid getting robbed on your holiday)
Goa’s official tourist season ends in June with the onset of the monsoon and restarts in September. {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}} {{^userSubscribed}} {{/userSubscribed}}
In an exclusive interview with PTI on Saturday, Kaunte said the number of international tourists has also increased, registering a 150 per cent increase compared to pre-COVID-19 figures.
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He, however, acknowledged that Goa has competition from other states in the country and from overseas players.
Goa’s official tourist season ends in June with the onset of the monsoon and resumes in September.
The state continues to welcome tourists even during the monsoon season, the minister said.
“During monsoon, hotels in Goa have 80 per cent occupancy. People flock to Goa during monsoon as they realise that Goa is not just about beaches,” he said.
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Asked about the perception that tourism numbers in Goa are declining, Kante said: “Tourist numbers are increasing. We have crossed the 10 million mark. This is higher than the previous figures.”
Goa still needs to work with new markets, the minister said.
“We have prepared a vision document for the tourism industry but this can be implemented only with active participation of tourism stakeholders. We have started working towards it,” he said.
Kaunte acknowledged that there is stiff competition from various players, including other Indian states, in the wake of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Deko Apna Desh” initiative.
“We have to look at the challenge of competing with other states and international players,” he said.
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The minister said one of the challenges would be to ensure that Goa does not become an expensive travel destination during a period like December.
“Hotel prices in Goa are so high in December that tourists have started looking at other destinations like Thailand where they can travel on the same budget and still save money,” he said.
The minister said he would begin discussions with airlines and the hotel industry to cap prices during the tourist season, including December.
He said the state continues to welcome tourists even during the rainy season.
“Monsoon season is all about waterfalls, lush villages, forests and countryside tourism. Monsoon season is the season for walking on nature trails,” he said.
Tourists will visit the villages and realise there is more to Goa than just beaches, “which will also help boost the local economy,” he added.
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News / Lifestyle / Travel / Goa’s tourist numbers cross 10 crore mark, tourists flock here even during monsoon season: Tourism Minister
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