As temperatures soar, Goa remains a hot destination

VIBHA VERMA

vibha@herald-goa.com

PANJIM: A recent study by one of the reputed travel search engines showed that among the Tier-II cities, Goa witnessed a sharp rise in demand for hotels and resorts as compared to other cities under the category.

The maximum demand for hotels jumped to 118 percent in April, followed by Coimbatore, Jaipur, Chandigarh, and Lucknow. Searches for five-star hotels remained high in Goa, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Varanasi, and Visakhapatnam.

As per the report, Goa also saw a 76 percent rise in demand for resorts making it a sought-after destination during the summer as well, and Tirupati saw maximum demand for guest houses among Tier-II cities.

Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) agrees with the survey stating the current year has been fruitful for starred hotels and resorts. The figures, TTAG President Nilesh Shah said, would be a comparison of the current year with that of the corresponding period of 2021.

“It is quite possible that demands shot up this summer period because due to the second wave of COVID-19 last year people had stopped traveling. The business has been satisfactory for the starred hotels and resorts. It is perhaps the best compared to the last two years,” he said speaking to Herald.

As per the TTAG, the occupancy has been 70 percent since April.

Senior Vice President of the Indian Hotels Company (Goa), Vincent Ramos said that Goa has always been a sought-after destination despite the pandemic.

“With the pandemic confining everyone to their homes, travel has never been so sought after and been more exhilarating than it is right now. Goa has always been a popular travel destination and continues to thrive despite the pandemic. Lately, the State has seen an augmented surge in weddings, MICE, and domestic leisure. It comes as no surprise, given that we are a matured leisure destination with high-quality hospitality offerings that match international travel standards,” he said.

The eco-resorts are also recording full occupancy with inquiries pouring in. The owner of one such eco-resort said their bookings commenced even before the summer and the two months of the season have been full. The majority of these travelers are from North India, which has experienced one of the worst heat waves in recent times.

Well, Goa’s tourism stakeholders are certainly not complaining.