There is a huge shot in the arm for Goa Tourism as tourist arrival figures for the year 2014 (January-December) shows an overall 30 per cent increase in comparison with the corresponding year 2013. Data emerging from the Department of Tourism, Govt. of Goa for the year 2014 shows that Goa hosted a total of 40,58,226 tourists from January to December which includes both domestic and foreign tourists as against 31,21,473 tourists in 2013.
In 2014, as many as 35,44,634 domestic tourists visited Goa and 5,13,592 foreign tourists visited the State between January-December. In 2013, a total of 26,29,151 domestic tourists visited Goa and 4,92,322 foreign tourists visited Goa. The Director of Tourism, Shri. Ameya Abhyankar said, “The statistical graph showing a a 30 per cent increase in tourist arrivals for the year 2014 reinforces our stand that Goa is a Preferred Holiday Destination in the world and will continue to be one every passing year.”
“It comes as no surprise to us that even the tourist arrival figures for the last quarter of 2014 (October/November/December) shows an increase in domestic tourist arrivals by 62 per cent. The drop in foreign tourist arrivals for the same period is also very meager, Shri. Abhyankar said.
According to data available at the tourism department, there is a 62 per cent increase in domestic tourist arrivals for the last quarter of 2014 (October/November/December) over the corresponding period 2013. A total of 19,70,792 domestic tourists visited Goa between October to December 2014 as against 12,19,872 domestic tourists in 2013.
- A total of 40,58,226 tourists visited Goa in 2014 as against 31,21,473 in 2013
- A total of 35,44,634 domestic tourists visited Goa in 2014 as against 26,29,151 in 2013
- A 62 per cent rise in domestic tourist arrivals recorded for the last quarter of 2014 (October/November/December)
- Dept of Tourism carried out extensive enumeration of tourist arrivals from October-December 2014 by rail, road, sea and air.
As far as foreign tourists arrivals, as many as 2,30,811 tourists arrived in Goa between October to December in 2014 as against 2,32,874 in 2013. “This is a very marginal dip in foreign tourists arrivals in 2014,” Shri Abhyankar said. The Minister for Tourism, Shri Dilip Parulekar said, “The data is very encouraging news. As far as foreign tourist arrivals there has been a drop in charter arrivals but this is a temporary phase arising from the geopolitical scenario in Europe.” Shri Parulekar said, “We are focusing on newer markets across the globe and will see rise in footfalls in the months to come.”
For the first time, the Department of Tourism has carried out an extensive exercise of enumerating tourists arrivals by road, rail, sea and air engaging the services of the railways, PWD, MPT and Airport Authority of India. Data collected from the railways indicates that between October-December 2014, a total of 4, 03,107 tourists travelled to Goa. Likewise, a total of 17, 05,755 tourists travelled to Goa by road either in private vehicles and buses. As many as 7,867 foreign tourists arrived via cruise vessels at MPT and 84,875 arrived via charter flights.
