Goa Hopes to Increase Tourist Inflow in Next Five Years

Goa wants to increase the tourist inflow into the Indian state from existing 2.6 to 6 million. The state is hoping to attract more people into booking Goa-bound flights to India by promoting the region as more than just ‘beaches and pubs’.

India’s top holiday destination, Goa is hoping to enhance its tourism inflow from existing 2.6 to 6 million in the next five years. The state government is going to project the region as more than just ‘beaches and pubs’ in an effort to attract more number of tourists to look for tickets on cheap flights to India connecting Goa.

The announcement was made by Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar on Saturday.

“We have an average 2.6 million tourists visiting Goa annually. We are now planning to take the figure to 6 million in next five years,” Parrikar was quoted in Indian media.

“We need to look at more than beaches and pubs. Today guests visiting Goa have only two entertainments – beaches and pubs. We have to create more alternatives for them once they arrive here,” the chief minister said.

Tourists planning holiday travel in Goa can also expect better entertainment facilities and hospitality infrastructure in the coming years.

Over the last few decades, Goa has metamorphosed as one of the most sought after winter tourism destinations for tourists from Europe. With the weather at its harshest in Europe in November-December, heaps and heaps of tourists flock to Goa’s relatively warm beaches. Britons constitute the biggest chunk of tourists who book Goa-bound flights to India during the October-March season.

Meanwhile, the trends indicate that Goa’s reputation as only a half-yearly holiday destination is slowly being transformed into a 365-day thing. Even the traditional lean season of monsoon is experiencing a consistent tourist inflow in the state with hotels and resorts reporting high occupancy.