PANAJI
When Formula 4 cars line up on a purpose-built street circuit at the Manohar International Airport in Mopa on February 14, Goa will make its debut on the FIA’s single-seater racing calendar – a bid that the State government and tourism industry are optimistic will convert high-octane sport into a new engine for visitor growth.
Tourism stakeholders noted that marquee sporting events, ranging from cricket to motorsport, have a consistent draw. President of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), Jack Sukhija, said Formula 4 fits into a broader vision of positioning the State as a sporting events destination. “Whether it is the Formula 4, IPL or any other sporting event, every venue attracts people. That is how events work,” he said.
Sukhija said the way forward for Goa’s tourism economy was to institutionalise large-scale events across the State. “There should be at least one major ticketed event every month – one in North Goa and one in South Goa. The economic burst from such events is huge, both domestically and internationally,” he said.
The longer-term benefits, industry representatives stated, include local benefits such as hospitality bookings, ancillary services, and international visibility that extends beyond leisure travel. “Beyond hotel bookings, events like these will generate business for transport operators, restaurants and other tourism-linked services,” another TTAG member said.
The event, however, arrives with baggage from the past. An earlier plan to stage the race at Bogda, Headland Sada in Vasco had triggered controversy, with concerns over disruption and location.
'Disruptive activism'
Former TTAG president and tourism stakeholder Savio Messias described that shift as an unnecessary political decision, noting that the earlier route was a deserted stretch that still became a flashpoint. He said the new venue at Mopa, located away from residential areas, addressed many of those concerns. If planned properly, he argued, such events need not interfere with daily life.
Messias also flagged the impact of sustained activism and political uncertainty on Goa’s event calendar.
“Many events are moving out of Goa because of activism. Sometimes, even the government has political agendas by postponing some events. These mega events, rescheduled at the last minute despite being planned months in advance, leave organisers and visitors stranded. There have been instances wherein events that were being postponed have been cancelled in Goa and shifted to other States,” he said.
The resistance to the upcoming event has not entirely faded. The Goa Kul Mundkar Sangharsh Samiti recently called for the cancellation of the Indian Racing Festival at Mopa, citing resentment among farmers and local residents.
Govt support
The government, for its part, has thrown its weight behind the race with Chief Minister Pramod Sawant mentioning that hosting a motorsport event of this scale shows Goa’s ability to stage world-class entertainment experiences.
Mopa will host the Formula 4 championship after Round 3 at the Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore. Spanning two kilometres, the FIA-grade street circuit has been designed with 12 turns, a layout organisers stated will deliver both a “visual spectacle and a demanding technical challenge”.
