Goa govt expects 81 lakh tourists this season, on par with pre-pandemic time

The Goa Tourism Department is expecting the number of tourists arriving in the state this season to touch the pre-pandemic level of 81 lakh or 8.1 million.

The inauguration of the Manohar International Airport in North Goa district will provide a boost to the sector, state tourism minister Rohan Khaunte told reporters on Tuesday.

The tourist season in Goa generally starts in November and extends till February.

As per the state government's projection, the tourist numbers would reach the 2019 level, touching the 81 lakh- or 8.1 million-mark, he said.

The tourism industry in Goa was badly hit due to the coronavirus pandemic in the last two years.

As many as nine lakh (0.9 million) international tourists and 72 lakh (7.2 million) domestic tourists had arrived in the coastal state in 2019.

The inauguration of Manohar International Airport, a second airport of the state, and opening up of new markets like Germany, the USA, UK (where e-visa facility has been made available) will boost the number of tourists, he said.

The tourism department has introduced several new initiatives like the Home Stay policy which will incentivise the sector and also help the rural economy, Khaunte said.

The coastal state is also looking to attract `digital nomads' (remote workers who travel to different locations and use the Internet technology to work) who earn around Rs 70-75 lakh per annum and contribute back 35 per cent of their earnings to the economy, the minister added.