Prospects of tourism this season encouraging for Goa: Minister

Panaji, Oct 16 (UNI) Goa expects a tourism boom this season if the arrival of chartered flights is any indication, Tourism Minister Dr Wilfred de Souza said.

''We expect at least 800 chartered flights from across the world to Goa as against 719 last season even as more international airlines including Sri Lanka Airlines, Condor of Germany and others from the West Asia have announced their schedules,'' Mr de Souza, who is also Deputy Chief Minister, told mediapersons here today.

The first batch of 345 foreign tourists arrived were from Gatwick in the UK through Monarch aircraft chartered flight and their second batch of 230 from Manchester yesterday, marking the beginning of the season, he said.

According to private airlines sources, more than four lakh foreign tourists were expected to arrive this season through 800 chartered flights to Goa as against three lakh in the previous season, with 17 operators working in the state.

Meanwhile, Goa had decided to participate in the World Tourism Market beginning in London from November 6 to 9 to launch its campaign for attracting more tourists from UK.

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