GOA RECORDS HIGHEST GROWTH IN TOURIST CHARTER ARRIVALS
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Goa Tourism received 1128 charter flights, between October 2013 and May 2014, carrying a record number of 2.61 lakh passengers. The corresponding figure for the previous year was 996 charter flights carrying 2.15 lakh passengers. This amounts to a 13.25 per cent increase in the arrival of charter flights on a year on year basis.
Dilip Parulekar, Tourism Minister, Government of Goa stated that he was delighted with this achievement. He added that this was the result of professional marketing and promotional activities undertaken by the Tourism Department by actively involving travel trade professionals and also with the help and support of the charter /tour operators and other professional agencies that have done commendable job in attracting foreign tourists from all over the world.
The Tourism Minister also mentioned that the he is very optimistic regarding arrival of tourists in the forthcoming season, especially due to the Decennial Exposition of the Holy Relics of St. Francis Xavier. He added that, “It will be my endeavour to make Goa as a leading destination of choice for foreign and domestic tourists, while focusing on quality tourists and improving the tourism infrastructure in the state with active support from the Hon’ble Chief Minister, Shri Manohar Parrikar and Union Minister for State (Tourism) Shri. Shripad Naik.”