Despite criticism over expenses in the Assembly
TEAM HERALD
teamherald@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: While politicians in the Goa assembly slammed Goa tourism for wasteful expenditure on promoting Goa globally, through road shows and travel marts, tourism stakeholders endorse the view that Goa must promote tourism at international tourism promotion festivals to maintain the existing markets and add on new destinations to its calendar of events for 2013-14.
In keeping with the recommendations from stakeholders, industry and tourism business segments, the State Level Marketing and Promotion Committee has drawn up a schedules for the 2013-14 season which will ensure Goa taking more space at travel fairs and festivals and road shows both internationally and nationally.
For the first time Goa will take tourism to the USA with road shows planned in New York and Los Angeles in December this year.
“The target cliental are the NRI settled in the US and look for vacation destinations,” said Chairman of the GTDC Nilesh Cabral.
The calendar sees no change in plans of attending travel marts in London, Moscow, Berlin, France and Singapore.
“While attending the festivals and fairs, the schedules will incorporate road shows in neighbouring destinations,” he said.
This will cover Australia, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand, Rome, Madrid, Finland and Norway. This season government plans to take on board representatives from the tourism sector and take larger space for promoting Goa.
The tourism ministry is looking doubling the space of its stall to 80 sq meters in London and Berlin. While an area of 60 sq meters space is planned for Moscow and France. On the domestic front, travel marts in Calcutta, Gujarat, Jaipur, Indore and Chennai are on calendar.
