Porvorim: Goa’s tourism division spent Rs 26.3 crore to advertise Goa internationally by means of roadshows and worldwide journey expos since 2022, tourism minister Rohan Khaunte instructed the legislative meeting on Thursday. The tourism division’s information suggests {that a} almost comparable quantity — Rs 24.9 crore — was spent to advertise Goa in India itself throughout the identical interval.The division’s expenditure on worldwide roadshows and commerce occasions jumped from Rs 1.3 crore in 2020 to Rs 10.9 crore in 2024, not together with journey allowance and different bills for the officers who attended the occasions. The visits have been accredited by chief minister Pramod Sawant, mentioned Khaunte.Information reveals that the division spent Rs 24.9 crore on 31 roadshows organised by it and Goa Tourism Improvement Company from March 2022.Between Jan and June, Goa recorded a complete of 57.1 lakh vacationer arrivals, with home vacationers pegged at 34.6 lakh by means of Goa Worldwide Airport at Dabolim and 22.5 lakh by means of Manohar Worldwide Airport at Mopa. In distinction, worldwide arrivals stood at 3.2 lakh.Khaunte mentioned that the “focused worldwide roadshows” purpose to faucet into rising markets reminiscent of Poland, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan, which beforehand had restricted or no direct tourism linkage with the state. The minister mentioned that worldwide vacationer arrivals and worldwide flights elevated due to the division’s sustained international vacation spot promotion.The opposition has repeatedly attacked the tourism division for wasteful expenditure on roadshows, each in home markets and at worldwide journey marts. The tourism division has been visiting Germany, Spain, Dubai, Singapore, London, Austria, Japan, and Portugal to draw worldwide vacationers to Goa.Khaunte mentioned that the state has requested govt to supply the visa-on-arrival facility to pick international locations.
