Goa ’s 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.
Ameya Abhyankar, Director of Tourism, Goa said, “The statistical graph showing 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.”
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.
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 tourist arrivals in 2014,” Abhyankar added.
Dilip Parulekar, Minister for Tourism 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.”
He added that Goa Tourim is 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.
