‘Tourism on upward path': Goa minister slams ‘social media influencers' over ‘false narratives'
Addressing the Parliament during the ongoing Monsoon session, Khaunte said that the government has "nothing to hide as data speaks for itself". He dared the influencers to show proof of the 'decline' they are making claims about.
He spoke about the reports of a decline in tourists to the coastal state. He said, "They (influencers) take money to create noise and circulate false narratives. But when we presented official data, none of them countered it. If there is a decline, show proof. We have nothing to hide, data speaks for itself."
"There is a rise in tourist arrivals. Goa's tourism is on a strong upward trajectory, supported by robust efforts and initiatives undertaken by both the state and Central governments. Flights arriving in Goa and the hotels in the state are almost full with tourists," PTI news agency quoted the minister as saying.
'Increased flight arrivals, hotels mostly full'
Citing official data, the Goa tourism minister said that between January and June this year, Goa recorded more than 57 lakh (57,12,758 precisely) tourist arrivals. Of these, over 34 lakh domestic arrivals were via Vasco's Goa Dabolim International Airport, and more than 22 lakh were through the Manohar International Airport at Mopa. There were a total of 3,23,835 international arrivals, with over 1 lakh via the Dabolim airport and over 2 lakh through Manohar airport.
Khaunte said that in the past six months alone, Dabolim and Mopa airports have witnessed a huge number of arrivals. Additionally, hotels have also remained occupied between 70 and 100 per cent throughout the year.
The state minister presented a comparative analysis, showing pre-pandemic numbers to illustrate Goa's remarkable recovery in tourism.
"In 2019, Goa recorded 71,27,287 domestic and 9,37,113 international tourists, totalling 80,64,400. In 2024, the number surged to 99,41,285 domestic and 4,67,911 international tourists, totalling 1,04,09,196," he said.
Khaunte went on to add, "This reflects a 39.48 per cent growth in domestic tourism compared to pre Covid-19 levels and a 50 per cent recovery in international tourism. Goa has bounced back stronger than ever. These numbers clearly show that tourism is thriving."
Further, Goa has also tapped into new markets for tourism, with flights and international promotions for countries like Poland, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan driving the connections.
"Goa is now linked to several parts of the world. Efforts like roadshows and marketing campaigns have opened up previously untapped tourist segments," the state tourism minister said in the assembly.
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