Goa witnesses record 12.5 % rise in domestic tourist footfalls

Goa's tourism industry has recorded its all-time high 12.5 per cent growth in domestic tourist arrivals last year, a senior official said here today.
"Goa recorded 12.5 per cent increase in the arrival of domestic tourists for the year 2013, which is an all-time high of 26.29 lakh (tourists) as against 23.33 lakh in 2012," Pamela Mascarenhas, Deputy Director of Department of Tourism, told PTI today.
She said that the aggressive marketing through road shows, exhibitions and marts is fetching the desired results for the state.
The state, popular for its beaches, saw tourists arriving from Gujarat, Karnataka, West Bengal, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh in maximum numbers, compared to the other states, she said.

The tourism department's latest figures reveal that the trend of domestic tourists thronging the state continues even in 2014, as till April, 7.77 lakh domestic tourists arrived which is expected to increase in the months to come, especially in September- December period.
Mascarenhas said that the tourism growth is driven by segments like honeymooners and wedding events that bring in sizeable travellers to the state.
"The young domestic tourists prefer food, music, night life and are found frequenting the beaches, while the middle-age ones prefer sight-seeing religious places like temples, Churches and historical monuments," she said.
Besides this, a section of affluent tourists arrive in Goa for business purpose, conferences and also for leisure tourism with the family, she added.