After experiencing fall in the tourism figures up to 40 per cent, post economic recession and terror attacks in Mumbai, Goa is fast recovering as a tourist destination. Lyndon Monteiro, Vice-Chairman, Goa Tourism Development Corporation and Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Minister of Tourism, Government of Goa, told TravelBiz Monitor, “The tourists trust the state to be a safe destination posts the security measures undertaken by the state government. We are currently seeing 60-70 per cent occupancy in various hotels and tourist accommodations in Goa. Also, around 200 chartered planes have landed in Goa in the past two months. Our strategy for the new year includes focussing more on domestic tourists but at the same time not ignoring our international market.”
In the upcoming year the Department of Tourism will also lay more focus on the ‘Beach Safety Management’ scheme, which was introduced in October 2008. “Every year Goa witnessed 70-80 deaths due to drowning in the sea. In the last two and a half months the security devised on the beaches due to the scheme, has saved more than 50 lives already,” added Monteiro. The state government has invited professionals from Australia and UK to train the security personnel guarding the beaches of Goa. Talking about source markets, Monteiro further informed that in the international market Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC) will look at attracting visitors from South Africa, Portugal and other Middle East countries, especially during the months of March and April next year when not many European tourists visit the destination. Officials of the state tourism department visited South Africa in the middle of this year to convince travel agents there to sell Goa as a destination through their itineraries. Currently, 50 per cent of foreign visitors visiting Goa are from Russia, rest are from Germany, Europe and few Scandinavian countries.
Courtesy: travelbiz
