Goa woos tourists from the UAE

“Last year, we had around 3,000 UAE visitors to Goa and we are hopeful of raising that number to 20,000 this year,” said Nilesh Cabral, chairman of Goa Tourism and Development Corporation.

“This tiny state situated on the western coast of India has a diverse tourism offering and we are marketing this lovely place at new destinations and UAE is one among them,” Cabral, who is heading the three-member Goan delegation, told Khaleej Times on the sidelines of the Goa Tourism Road Show in Dubai held on Tuesday.

‘Russian mafia in Goa is mere allegation’ Chairman of the Goa Tourism Development Corporation Nilesh Cabral dismissed allegations that the Russian mafia is playing an active role in Goan tourism and it has affected the state’s image. “This talk of Russian mafia holding a big stake in the tourism belt of Goa is a wrong picture being created about this peaceful state. We have a strong police machinery and the locals are dominating the business,” Cabral said. The GTDC chief, however, said the government will act tough against foreigners coming on visit visas and venturing into business: “We have a rule that prohibits foreigners coming on visit visas from engaging in any type of business activitity. The government has decided to implement this rule strictly soon,” he added. - ramdas@khaleejtimes.com

“We believe that the UAE is fast emerging as a significant tourism market for Goa considering the high-spending power and travel inclinations of people living here. Bearing this in mind, we have decided to stage a road show in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to promote Goa as a 365-day tourist destination, where apart from the pristine beaches, we have put special emphasis on the rich Goan culture, the hinterland, beauty of the Western Ghats and the upcoming monsoon season. Apart from a beach destination, Goa also wants to present itself as a rain lovers’ destination in the months of June, July and August in the hope of wooing more tourists from the UAE,” he added.

As part of the promotion, a similar event was held in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday. The attendees at the road show comprised representatives of the airline industry, tour operators, hospitality business, travel agents and, media. Earlier, Cabral made a comprehensive presentation on Goa’s myriad tourism products encompassing heritage tourism, culture, monuments, cuisine, festivals, hinterland and wellness tourism. Special attention was also given to other tourism aspects like accommodation, transport, safety and security to travellers.

“Goa has achieved a year-round destination status, with clear domestic season (April-September) and an international season (October-March) with the monsoon season picking up greatly in the last few years. The GTDC estimates that the UAE has the potential to contribute at least 25 per cent of the total tourist inflow to Goa. Special incentives and custom-made packages will also be offered to tour operators and travellers from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to drive in traffic to Goa,” said Cabral.

This road show is being viewed as a golden opportunity to cash in on the upcoming spring and monsoon season by effecting important interactions and facilitating tie-ups between the UAE and Goa Tourism. In addition, CDs, brochures, mementos and other marketing collaterals were also circulated to travel and tour operators.

Road shows, according to Cabral, play a big role in promoting any tourist destination: “We do lots of road shows as they are a major reason for outbound awareness and this information comes from the offices of travel consultants. They are bringing lots of supplies to Goa and because of them a lot of awareness is happening,” said Cabral, who wIll be heading to Berlin for another road show and in the hope of never-before-seen numbers from Germany.

ramdas@khaleejtimes.com