With the keystone of the Goa’s tourism industry — the Russian arrivals — showing signs of waning, Goa tourism is now looking towards its Asian neighbour China for salvation.
A delegation from a northwest Chinese city of Urumqi is currently on a visit to the State ahead of the first high profile arrivals which are expected to come in during the tourism season later this year.
“This trip will help Goa tourism in a big way as it will bring high-end tourists from China and in turn will benefit tourism stakeholders in the State,” Deepak Narvekar, Public Relations Office for the State Government-owned Goa Tourism Development Corporation (GTDC), said. This agency is the host agency which is conducting the excursion for the Chinese visitors.
The Chinese delegation, consisting of travel and tourism officials, is being offered a sample of Goa’s tourism bounty, namely its beaches, tropical forests, heritage monuments, etc.
The three-day trip, which began on May 9, included visits to Goa’s heritage sites, beach belt, eco-tourism sites, temples, and also provided an experience of water sports and a taste of Goan cuisine and culture.
Twelve delegates from the Western Chinese region are participating in the visit. Ting Zhang, sales manager for Air Arabia in China, who heads the delegation said, “Goa has beautiful beaches and its cultural diversity has enthralled us.”
Zhang said Air Arabia would partner with the tourism stakeholders to bring the tourists into the State from the city Urumqi to Goa could spur tourism arrivals to the beach State.
Urumqi, once a popular stop along the ancient Silk Route to China, is the capital of Xinjiang Uyghur, an Autonomous restive Region in North Western China.
“Urumqi is an inland major city in the world farthest from any ocean, hence, Goa and beach tourism has found favour with the Chinese delegation,” Narvekar said.
Goa attracts over three million tourists every year, out of which foreigners account for half a million. Tourism industry stakeholders in the State have, however, complained about the drop in the Russian tourists in the 2014-15 season owing to a slump in the Russian economy among other factors.