PANAJI
Goa is witnessing a revival in tourism after a disappointing business till last season. The State currently ranks among the top domestic destinations for Diwali despite not having a grand tradition of celebrating the festival compared to other states.
Goa has already seen impressive charter arrivals in the opening week of the season this month.
According to the digital travel platform Agoda, New Delhi tops the list of destinations searched by international travellers for Diwali followed by Goa. Mumbai spots third in the list with Chennai and pink city Jaipur rounding off the top five.
Goa’s tourism stakeholders are optimistic that Diwali will shape up to be a promising season, particularly with the increasing domestic footfalls. “Diwali is a time for people to take long vacations. For people travelling from destinations like Mumbai and Bangalore, Goa is barely an hour away via air travel. With improved air and highway road connectivity, the number of visitors would rise,” Travel and Tourism Association of Goa President Jack Sukhija said, speaking to The Goan.
He also pointed out that Goa's increasing dependence on domestic tourists, who are major saviours during the lull phase. Sukhija also went on to add that international arrivals are expected to rise in November, which will boost the overall footfall.
The domestic travel sector pan-India has further recorded a major boost with a 23 per cent increase in accommodation searches. Compared to 2023, this year's Diwali season has seen a 17 per cent rise in searches for stays, and so also in Goa.
The hotel industry is witnessing near-full occupancy, especially the four-star and five-star hotels/ resorts. President of the Goa Hotels and Restaurant Association Gaurish Dhond told The Goan that this trend is expected to continue during the Diwali vacations.
“Except for the rains, everything is going well. The occupancy ranges between 90-100 per cent excluding smaller hotels. The season looks promising and we expect a similar trend during Diwali,” he said emphasising the need for high-spending tourists now.
Another hotelier expressed that the extended vacation period is often combined with religious Diwali pujas.
