Saturday 14 Jun 2025

Tourism dept must explore ways to boost tourism

ROBERT CASTELLINO, Calangute/ Mumbai | JUNE 11, 2025, 07:31 PM IST

Tourists flock to Goa by various modes of transport. The international and domestic tourists   who arrive by flight, add  much value to Goa's  economy. They  travel by  taxis and generally stay in 5 and 3-star hotels.   Next are the tourists who  drive down to Goa in their  own vehicles. They are usually  spenders  who patronize 3-star  hotels and  restaurants. However, a few of them come in for a day or two from nearby areas, only  to drink. Then we have   tourists who come  in SUVs packed like sardines. These are the ones  who destroy Goa and undoubtedly the worst category of tourists. They come generally  to paint the town red.  Then there are those who come in buses with their own  'maharaj' (cook). These  tourists usually  stay in 3-star hotels  but other than rent, they contribute very little  to the economy of the state as their food and transport is taken care of. Finally there are many tourists who  come by trains. These tourists are a mix of all categories, mainly  staying in 3-star   hotels. The tourism dept  must create  cells for each of the above segments  to  explore ways to encourage them to visit Goa, or in some cases  even to deter them from coming.


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