Goa eyes events, New Year to boost tourist arrival

Panaji, Dec 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) Arrival of foreign tourists in Goa had declined 30 per cent, but upcoming music events, like the Sunburn Klassique scheduled later this month, could help improve the scenario, said Jack Sequeira, secretary of the Travel and Tourism Association, here on Monday.

Goa was poised for slightly better occupancy and tourist footfalls in the New Year, Sequeira said.

"The season has become unpredictable. Foreign traffic is down by as much as 30 per cent. Domestic traffic is down too with many Indians choosing OYO and Airbnb type accommodation," he said.

Russians have topped the list of foreign tourists in the coastal state for the last couple of decades. In 2018, nearly 300,000 Russians arrived, most of them between October and March.

However, in recent years, high prices, poor infrastructure and increasing crimes against guests had sapped the foreign tourist figures. The collapse of UK-based charter tourism operator Thomas Cook earlier this year also dented arrivals from the UK.

Sequeira, however, believes musical events, like Sunburn Klassique scheduled in the last week of December, could help shore up numbers and bookings in January looked healthy.

"When there are some events, it (tourism arrivals) picks up. Christmas is not looking good but the New Year is looking better. That has been the trend for four-five years," he said.

Goa is regarded as one of the top beach and nightlife tourism destinations in the country. Thousands of youngsters and music lovers have thronged Goa in the past to participate in electronic dance music events.

Source: IANS