Team Herald 

PANJIM: Tourism Minister Manohar Ajgaonkar has defended the series of upcoming foreign jaunts scheduled from September 2019 to April 2020 claiming that attending international and national events are a part of the Tourism’s promotional strategy. 

“…Its (Goa Tourism Department) participation  in the upcoming  international  and  national fairs  and events are part and  parcel of  marketing and  promotion of the State  on various  platforms. Goa is not the only State in the country that is participating in   foreign and   domestic events. In fact, tourism boards in other States have higher budgets and spend on   marketing and promotion of their brands,” the minister said in a press statement issued through the department’s public relations agency on Wednesday. 

The minister’s justification comes in response to Herald’s news report published on Wednesday, which highlighted how the State, while its reeling under a financial crisis, is participating in these events as confirmed by the Tourism Department. 

Ajgaonkar said Goa had skipped participating in key tourism fairs abroad for which it had received criticism from the stakeholders and the media. He said there is nothing wrong in State’s marketing strategy to make its presence felt in the international and national markets. 

“We participated in these events in the last couple of years and we are participating in these important events this year too,” he further clarified. The press statement however does not mention the department’s failure to increase footfalls from the same countries where it has been attending the travel marts/fairs repeatedly.

The Deputy Chief Minister added that Goa Tourism  is working with tourism stakeholders and  taking  their advice while  finalising  the participation  of Goa Tourism  at  the events. 

Ajgaonkar took the opportunity to mention about Goa hosting the GITM 2019 in October claiming it will bring national and international buyers where Goan stakeholders will get an opportunity to showcase their products and services.