Tourism shows signs of recovery in Goa

The tourism industry in the state is set to celebrate the World Tourism Day on Sunday amidst signs of some recovery from the earlier projections of a huge fall of charter arrivals from foreign countries and domestic tourists with the stake holders now projecting that the state could receive at least 600 charter flights bringing in same number of tourists as last year.

The president of Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, Mr Ralph de Souza told 'The Navhind Times' that there were encouraging reports from Russia, where the Goan tourism industry has been carrying out massive campaign, and that Russian tourists could compensate for the fall in number of tourists from other European countries. The Tourism Minister, Mr Francisco Xavier Pacheco, and the chairman of Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Mr Shyam Satardekar addressed the media in Moscow during the event and interacted with the Russian tour operators.
Mr Bush Miranda, who handles Russian tourists, said that this year could see a big leap in the arrival of Russian tourists, even as he said that the number of British tourists could take a fall. He said that Russians, who have not been affected by economic recession as much as the British and people from other European countries, would help the state tourism industry in recovery.

However, with many parts of the country facing drought, the industry was unsure whether the domestic tourists would come in the same number as they did in the previous year. A drastic fall in the number of domestic tourist could hit not only the industry in the big way but also the state exchequer as the tourism sector was a major contributor to the state economy, said the sources in the industry.

Meanwhile, as in the previous years the tourism industry is celebrating the World Tourism Day but the celebrations this year were rather subdued. The Travel and Tourism Association of Goa held an elocution competition for all the colleges in Goa on the theme "Tourism – celebrating diversity" on Saturday evening.

On Sunday a beach cleaning drive would be held at Miramar in which besides TTAG, various other organisations including the Miramar Baywatch Association, tourism department, Goa Tourism Development Corporation, Rotary Club of Panaji, Rotary Club of Panaji Mid-town and Clube Gaspar Dias would participate.

The GTDC would also felicitate the lifeguards on the occasion at Maqueniz Palace auditorium, which would be followed by a fusion music festival. The corporation has also organised a boat cruise for special children of Disha School on September 29.