Goa arrivals up 4.4%
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The department of tourism in Goa has registered a 4.4% increase in tourist inflow for the year 2012-13.
The state received 27.8 lakh tourist arrivals including 4.5 lakh foreign arrivals in the state during the year 2012-13, as compared to 26.7 lakh tourists which included 4.45 lakh foreigners during 2011-12.
Goa also witnessed an increase in arrival of chartered flights in 2012-13. According to the official statistics released by the department, the state received 987 chartered flights carrying 2.15 lakh tourists from October 2012 to May 2013. While in the year 2011-12, only 910 chartered flights carrying 1,69,006 passengers touched down in Goa. These chartered flights during October 2012 to May 2013 were from nine international destinations, of which 742 arrived from Russia followed by 152 flights from the United Kingdom. s
Dilip Parulekar, Tourism Minister of Goa, said, “In this tourist season, Goa did extremely well – better than previous years. We are delighted to see the upswing in the arrivals of domestic and foreign tourists, which touched an all-time high. Goa has emerged as a preferred destination for MICE, weddings and also leisure. Positive steps have been taken by the Government such as introduction of water sports policy, security force on Goa beaches, improvement of tourism infrastructure, marketing and promotional efforts, etc. which have paid off good dividends.”
Furthermore, the number of cruise ship arrivals in Goa has also seen an increase with 25 vessels carrying 22,233 passengers in 2012-13, as against 20 vessels carrying 11,946 passengers in the previous year.