Goa plans MICE bureau; eyes quality tourism, no ‘off-season'

The tourism department is said to be in the process of establishing a dedicated single-window MICE bureau to facilitate destination weddings, conferences, concerts and large-scale business events.

Rohan Khaunte, Goa Tourism Minister, recently stated at a public forum that the state continues to record steady domestic and international visitor inflows despite global challenges, including geopolitical tensions impacting the aviation sector. He remarked, ‘Tourists are still coming, and there is no such thing as an off-season.’

According to online reports, the minister noted that monsoon tourism is increasingly gaining traction, particularly among younger travellers seeking differentiated experiences. He added that Goa is also positioning itself strongly in the growing domestic destination wedding and MICE segments, with more events now shifting to Indian destinations such as Goa and Jaipur.

To strengthen the segment further, as per reports, the tourism department is in the process of establishing a dedicated single-window MICE bureau to facilitate destination weddings, conferences, concerts and large-scale business events through faster clearances and coordinated industry support.

At the same time, the state is also exploring measures to move towards quality-driven tourism. Khaunte reportedly indicated that the government is considering freezing registrations for new budget-category hotels, while encouraging existing lower-category properties to upgrade services and amenities to improve revenue generation and visitor experience.

According to the minister, premium hospitality segments in Goa continue to perform strongly, while lower-category hotel inventory has grown substantially in recent years, creating challenges in occupancy and pricing. Discussions with tourism stakeholders and industry associations are expected to continue before any final decision is taken.

The tourism department has also urged unregistered operators conducting activities in hinterland regions to register formally, emphasising the need for regulated and sustainable tourism development across ecologically sensitive areas.