Int.
tour operators' meet
Sandesh Prabhudesai
16 July 2003
Fearing fierce competition from the neighbouring countries
in South East Asia and from within the country, Goa has pulled
up sleeves to brand itself as a world tourist destination.
As a first step, the state plans to invite international
tour operators, travel agents, communication experts, travel
writers and representatives of corporate hotels and airlines,
at a three-day meet planned in October.
"It will be a curtain raiser for the Goa Tourism Mart,
to be organised later", states Nitin Kunkolienkar, the
president of the Goa Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Scheduled from 6 to 8 October, the meet would be supported
by the state and central governments and their respective
tourism departments, western regional council of the Federation
of Indian Chambers of Commerce, Travel and Tourism Association
of Goa and the Goa Tourism Development Corporation.
Mangirish Raikar, heading the tourism cell of the GCCI, does
not hide the fact that promoting Goa more vigorously has also
become necessary in view of making the state a permanent venue
for the International Film Festival.
"We should not get lost with rising competition from
the nearby island countries and other South East Asian countries
while our own states like Rajasthan and Kerala are also on
a promotion drive", he admits.
"Goa is the only leisure place available in India, unlike
Kerala or Rajasthan", states Ranjon Lahiri, the assistant
director of the GoI tourist office here. He proposes that
the western coastal state be promoted as the gateway for India.
In spite of having all the potential to attract the international
tourists, the tiny coastal state attracts only 0.27 million
foreign tourists from amongst 2.6 million coming to India.
"The target should be minimum 0.75 million", he
feels.
According to Charles Bonifacio, the president of the Travel
and Tourism Association of Goa, the international tour operators
and travel agents need to be exposed to the infrastructural
facilities made available recently.
"I admit that the infrastructural development is at
the infant stage. But lots has already been done, including
opening the Dabolim air port for 24 hours", he states.
The state is also lobbying for direct flights from the Gulf
countries.
The meet would thus deliberate upon several issues like branding
Goa in the global market, making it a 365-day destination,
providing better connectivity, developing different other
facets than beach tourism and developing new markets.
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