Goa Tourism to Take Part in India International Travel Mart, Bangalore from July 27-29, 2018

Goa Tourism sets the stage for an impressive show at the India International Travel Mart(IITM) in Bangalore being held from  July 27-29, 2018. Anticipating an  overwhelming response  from the  world  of  travel and tourism  and  local participants, Goa Tourism will be setting-up an attractive  pavilion, followed by presentations and  interactions  with bigwigs from the tourism  industry.

The  Goa Tourism  delegation  will comprise of  D. B. Sawant, GM (Finance) GTDC, Shaile Amonkar, Dy. Director (Accounts), Dept. of Tourism,  Prajakta Kamat, IA – Dept. of Tourism, and Nilesh Desai – GTDC.

India International Travel Mart is a leading platform for the international and  domestic travel community to come together and reveal existing products as well as introduce new ones to audiences from across the country. It provides an opportunity to connect and forge business ties with top travel company executives around the world, and global key players in the travel community.

Menino D’Souza, Director, Dept. of Tourism, Govt. of Goa in a statement said “While Goa’s beaches have always drawn in crowds, other facets of the destination like Eco Tourism, Hinterland Tourism, Heritage Tourism, Sports Tourism, Festival Tourism, Cuisine and Cultural Tourism, and a lot more, are becoming equally popular. The objective of participating at such events is to highlight these facets and showcase Goa as an all-round tourism destination.  Tourists from Bangalore would love to be in Goa during the monsoons and festivals like Durga Pooja and Diwali to enjoy the festive fervor and year ending celebrations. We have also seen great interest from tourists from this region for Goan cuisine,  heritage, architecture etc.  Good road, rail and air connectivity have also made it possible for tourists to visit Goa all through the year.”

Goa has various tourism facets and some of them  being showcased at IITM-Bangalore include:

Adventure Tourism

Goa has taken adventure tourism to new heights with the operation of unique adventure services like Hot Air Ballooning in the south and Hop on Hop off bus service in the north. The monsoon season in Goa has also picked up due to the successful operations of white water rafting activity and trekking expeditions by GTDC. People now prefer visiting the state to experience the monsoons which is unique  in its own way.

Wedding Tourism:

While marriages are made in heaven, Goa Tourism is ensuring that the celebrations deserve a place no less. The tiny State has become a big hot spot for weddings and wedding celebrations. With  excellent  air, road and rail connectivity,  wide  range  of hotels,  cuisine,  entertainers and a  lot  more, wedding  tourism in Goa has caught  on  in a  big way. The state has bagged several awards as a leading Wedding and Honeymoon Destination.

Festivals and Events:

One of Goa’s major tourist draws are festivals and events that are organized from October till May. Goa Tourism  takes  the  opportunity  to  showcase  how the  tiny state  has  diverse  cultures,  folklore, food and festivities. From annual religious festivals like Ganesh Chaturti,  Diwali, Christmas to annual events including Carnaval, Shigmo to conceptualized  events  such as  Grape  Escapade, Spirit of Goa and Goa Vintage Bike and Car festival, all these events offer tourists  an array  of opportunities to explore and  experience  Goa. Tourists find reasons to visit Goa during every season. Even the monsoons are  an exciting time to  be  in Goa with a  large  number  of  monsoon  festivals  being organized  showcasing  Goa’s  culture and traditions. Some of them include Sao Joao, Bonderam, Sangodd, Poderachem fest, Touxeachem fest, Patolleanchem fest, Ponsachem fest and many more.

Music and Dance:

Goa has a rich cultural diversity which is seen very clearly during events and festivals held across the state. However, music and dance is in the heart and soul of every Goan whether western, Indian or Goa’s very own regional compositions. Music events and festivals take place in Goa all through the year and Goa draws lakhs of tourists who come to witness the authentic and traditional folklore which is showcased through various lines of songs and dances.

Safety and Security of Tourists:

Goa Tourism has never left a stone unturned when it comes to safety and security of tourists.  The beaches are patrolled by 676 life guards and an additional 117 personnel patrol the beach till midnight. The state also offers an exclusive women taxi service for women tourists and passengers.  Goa  is also  a safe  destination for  nightlife and this has  been  endorsed  by National Geographic in  its   listing  of  the  Top  10 Best Nightlife  Cities in the World with Goa  figuring sixth on the list.

Beach Cleaning Initiatives:

Goa boasts of some of the best beaches in India, Asia and world endorsed by Trip Advisor. Goa  tourism showcases  to the  world  its clean beaches emanating from  the  Comprehensive  Beach Cleaning Management  Plan and   other clean beach  Initiatives.  The other mechanisms introduced for collection, segregation and disposal are also showing positive results.