PANAJI
Even after participating in nearly a dozen of international travel marts and road shows, Goa seems to have failed to attract foreign tourists. Last year, the State welcomed over one million tourists, of which only 4 per cent comprised international visitors.
Interestingly, there is a marginal rise in the foreign tourist arrival in the State as compared to the immediate post pandemic years.
This information was provided by the Union Civil Aviation Ministry to Rajya Sabha, to a question tabled by Goa’s Member of Parliament Sadanand Shet Tanavade.
According to the Ministry, the State received a total of 1,12,78,495 domestic and international tourists at the two airports -- Dabolim and Manohar International Airport, Mopa. Of these, 5,42,377 were international visitors. However, compared to 2022-23, the State received 75,000 more foreign tourists last year.
“Goa is currently operating with two airports and it has helped in boosting tourism and enhancing connectivity,” the Ministry said in its reply.
While Dabolim airport handled 68,72,411 tourists last year, MIA received 44,06,087 visitors. Dabolim welcomed, total of 64,45,322 domestic tourists and 4,27,089 foreign, at Mopa, the foreign arrival figures were 1,15,288. MIA welcomed 42,90,799 domestic tourists.
Despite Mopa having the maximum international connection, the foreign arrival was subsequently on the lower side. Mopa airport is connected with international cities namely, Gatwick, Muscat, Doha, Sharjah, Sheremetyevo, Tashkent, Yekaterinburg, Moscow, Warsaw and Dabolim Airport is currently connected with international cities namely, Dubai, Manama and Almaty.
MIA commenced operation from January 2023, with International flights taking off in mid last financial year.
As per the data, in 2022-23, Dabolim airport recorded 83,59,393 tourists of which 4,67,410 were foreign visitors.
Post pandemic, that is in 2021-22, almost 1,04,200 had visited the coastal State as against 39,866 prior to that.
