PANJIM: Minister for Tourism Dilip Parulekar said that Iran is an important tourism market for Goa Tourism and that the State was focusing marketing strategies to attract tourists from this region.
He said further that Goa is a perfect holiday destination for visitors from Iran and there is a surge in footfalls from Iran during the last two years.” He pointed that in 2014 as many as 3,990 tourists from Iran visited Goa.
He was speaking during a Goa Tourism-hosted Familiarization (FAM) trip that was organised for 18 travel and tour operators from Iran in association with Air Arabia, an exercise to market value-based monsoon tourism in the Middle East.
Chairman of Goa Tourism Development Corporation Nilesh Cabral, speaking about the charter season 2014-15 said as many as 42 charter flights landed in Goa from Iran, bringing in 3,594 tourists. Foreign nationals from Iran also visit Goa as FITs, he said.
“Visitors from the Middle East opt to holiday in Goa during the monsoons. Goa has also carved a niche for itself as a destination for yoga, ayurveda and wellness tourism which are some of the newer tourism options that tourists from the Middle East seek. It is our endeavour to enhance footfalls from the Middle East and give them an experience of our new offerings in addition to adventure and all other tourism avenues.”
This is the third FAM trip organized in recent times by Goa Tourism for travel and tour operators from the oil rich provinces in the Gulf.
The travel and tour operators from Iran arrived in Goa on July 25, on a 5-day FAM trip and were given insights into various tourism facets that Goa has to offer.
During this FAM, the guests experienced the thrills of white water rafting in the river waters at Mhadei in Sattari. They also visited Atreya Vedic Farm at Mollem, important mosques, temples, churches, beaches and hotel properties, besides relishing Goan cuisine along with Goan folklore and culture.
Yogesh Naik, Marketing Manager (GTDC) co-ordinated the FAM tour.
