Tourism dept plans international roadshows to attract tourists to Goa

Panaji: The tourism department plans to conduct international roadshows in the Gulf region, Denmark, Norway, Uzbekistan, Finland, Sweden, and Poland this year. “These are the top countries based on social media statistics and the quantum of visitors,” said a department note.The department hopes to attract international tourists to Goa, including first-time travellers for wellness, MICE, leisure, and medical tourism.The department could tentatively spend at least Rs 4.3 crore on the roadshows, which officials say are crucial to depict Goa and India as favourable tourism destinations. As of now, the dates for the roadshows have not been announced, but the department has moved to appoint an event management agency to host the tourism roadshows.The department stated that the international roadshows help enhance Goa’s “visibility and presence” while also providing a platform for Goan tour operators, travel agents, hoteliers, and airlines to network and connect with their international counterparts.“The target of this participation is to attract international tourists to Goa for various segments of tourism, and accordingly, the agency will have to evolve a strategy to achieve these goals,” said a department official.

A six-member team from Goa is likely to participate in the international tourism roadshows. While critics, including the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa, have expressed concern about the expenditure on these roadshows, the tourism department believes that such outreach helps Goa compete with international markets.“We need to promote Goa as a safe and world-class tourism destination to ensure a sustained flow of tourists into Goa.

We will present a marketing plan for approval,” said an official.In April, the tourism department’s empowered committee called for a rethink on the department’s participation in roadshows and expos, particularly in foreign countries. The department’s top officials agreed to “restructure and streamline” roadshows and trade shows — both domestic and international — based on a cost-benefit analysis.At that time, the tourism department said that participation in trade expos and roadshows “must be aligned with clear performance benchmarks and measurable outcomes” so that govt funds were efficiently utilised.