Mopa airport emerging as hub for travellers to Lakshadweep, Maharashtra’s hinterland

Panaji: Manohar International Airport, Mopa, is fast emerging as a hub for air connectivity both within India and internationally. Passengers from Maharashtra’s tier-II and tier-III cities, along with islanders from Lakshadweep, are flying into Mopa to take flights to metros and outbound flights.According to the tourism department, Goa is well-linked because 2024-25 saw a growth in both domestic and international routes.“We’ve seen a clear pattern. Passengers from cities like Jalgaon, Sindhudurg, and Solapur in Maharashtra, often use our airline to reach Goa, and from there, proceed to other destinations. This reflects the growing role of Goa as a gateway and natural transit point,” said FLY91 CEO and MD, Manoj Chacko.With the presence of two operational airports, Indians looking to travel to the Gulf region or to metros have multiple options when planning their journeys through Goa.The last financial year saw a good mix of charter flights and new scheduled routes, with enhanced frequencies from key source markets for both the airports.The state witnessed increased connectivity through scheduled international flights from the Gulf region and Iran in the last year, while new domestic flights connected Goa to major metros and tier-II cities, which have played a vital role during festivals and long weekends, said a travel operator.

“This growth in air access is key to our tourism strategy. Better connectivity brings in wider audiences globally,” said tourism minister Rohan Khaunte, who added that travel to Goa, both domestic and international, has shown steady growth over the past two years.For residents of Lakshadweep, Cochin was the only air link, but with a daily flight between Agatti and Mopa, Manohar International Airport is a better connection point for onward travel to Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata.During the ongoing session of the state legislative assembly, Mandrem MLA Jit Arolkar urged govt to take steps to strategically develop and project Goa as a transit and layover destination for international airlines.Arolkar is batting for the creation of a dedicated hub and spoke model as part of a transit tourism policy for Goa.