Goa Tourism a major presence at Berlin expo

Goa will be present in a big way at the ITB (Internationale Tourismus-Börse) in Berlin March 4-8, the biggest travel tourism event in the world.

Goa Tourism Development Corp (GTDC) general manager Sanjay Chodnekar told IANS that apart from Berlin, the team will also halt in Milan in Italy.

He said the trip had been sanctioned by the union finance and tourism ministries.

"Participating at ITB-Berlin festival will help Goa to market and promote it(self) as a tourist destination and to increase the flow of high spending tourist to Goa," Chodnekar said.

"We will be also conducting a Road Show at Milan. It will be a travel meet with the tour operators, media and the embassy persons," he said.

Chodnekar did not spell out the expenditure incurred on the trip, which will also have participation from the tourism industry, apart from tourism officials.

Tourism Minister Dilip Parulekar will be a part of the Goan delegation. Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, who was also reported to be part of the delegation, told IANS that he was staying put in Goa.

Meeanwhile, the tourism department has taken on an activist for terming the trip the "latest summer junket to Europe".

"It has been brought to our notice that several questions are being raised about officials travelling abroad to attend travel trade shows," the tourism department statement said, adding that the Berlin was one of the world's largest such and would immensely benefit the state.

According to tourism ministry records, Rs.13.24 crore has been spent on tourism promotion tours since the Bharatiya Janata Party came to power in Goa in March 2012.

Chodnekar asserted that the trip to Germany and Italy would help the tourism industry, especially hotels and tourist operators, to generate substantive business and to enhance the Goan economy.

Goa is one of the top beach tourism destinations in India and attracts nearly three million tourists every year, out of which half a million are foreigners, mostly Russian and Britons.