PANAJI: The Leader of Opposition Yuri Alemao today slammed the BJP-led government for failing to attract international visitors to the coastal State, despite participating in a large number of travel marts.
In a statement issued, Alemao raised apprehension about possible harm to the tourism industry, owing to the government’s inaction.
"We have always said that BJP is more focused on events that generate commissions, whether in the state or in foreign countries, under the pretext of participating in international travel. However, the outcome has been zero. BJP has failed to attract foreign tourists to Goa," Alemao stated.
"After destroying the mining industry, the BJP is now harming tourism, which is the backbone of our economy," he added.
Alemao's statement is in response to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry's reply in Rajya Sabha on the tourist arrival.
According to the official figures from the Union Civil Aviation Ministry, Goa welcomed over 1.12 crore tourists last year, but only about 4% of them were international visitors.
The Union Civil Aviation Ministry reported that Goa’s both airports, Dabolim and the Manohar International Airport, together handled over 1.12 crore tourists last year. Of these, 5.42 lakh were international visitors, a rise of 75,000 foreign tourists from the previous year.
