Goa Tourist Arrivals Up By 24 Per Cent In Q1 ’02
Savio Rodrigues /Mumbai

Keeping a keen watch on tourist figures, Goa has seen rise of 24 per cent in foreign tourist arrivals in the first quarter (Q1) of this year, as compared to last year. In the first quarter of 2002, 1.17 lakh foreign tourists visited Goa, a considerable rise when pitted against last year’s figures of 94,000 foreign tourist arrivals in the first quarter.

Fillipe Neri Rodrigues, minister for tourism, Goa, asserted that, “Though, during the later part of 2001, tourist arrivals into the state had dropped substantially due to the World Trade Centre episode, however now, the market has changed and tourist arrivals into the state has increased and will continue to rise considerably.”

“Tourism, as an industry is a vital revenue generator for the state, therefore the government in the past year as well as the current is working extensively to highlight and showcase the current as well as new tourism potential of the state,” added Rodrigues.