PANJIM: A total of 2418 foreign tourists arrived in the passenger cruise vessel ‘MEIN SCHIFF 3 ‘ that docked at the Mormugao Port Trust on Saturday. The voyage that began from Oman to UAE reached Goa from the last port in Cochin. Out of the total passengers, majority are German nationals followed by Austria and Switzerland.
“The passengers were welcomed graciously by the King Momo and his Queen Momo along with the entourage of merrymakers and dancers. They were received with flowers and pleasant greetings while live performances of Goan folk dances to the live melodic Goan folk songs brought a smile on every passengers face. The live Brass band was also another feature that was appreciated by the passengers. The Goan rich cultural heritage was depicted by the folk dances like the Corridinho, Fugdi, etc. Glimpses of Goa in the form of pictures on big boards were displayed to give the passengers an insight of Goa covering important sites like monuments, churches, temples, beaches, cuisine, hinterland, colorful festivals etc,” reads a press note by Goa Tourism.
Around 40 cruise vessels are expected to touch Goan shores from to July 2017. According to the port authorities, passengers on each vessel range between 400 and 2900; and crew between 200 and 1100. “The influx of visitors to beautiful Goa by the medium of cruise travel has been on the rise to only indicate a steady tourism growth on the horizon,” the press release further states.
