Goa witnesses 160% surge in foreign tourist arrivals in 2023, surpasses pre-pandemic levels

Panaji: The number of foreign tourists visiting Goa increased by 160% year-on-year in 2023, according to data released by the Union ministry of tourism. The ministry said that from 22,128 tourists in 2021, which was during the Covid pandemic, Goa received 1.7 lakh tourists in 2022 and 4.5 lakh tourists in 2023.

In 2023, Goa received more foreign tourists than Karnataka, however, 1.9 lakh fewer tourists than Kerala. The Centre’s data also showed that passenger footfalls at the Goa International Airport, Dabolim, dropped 17% from 2019-20 when the AAI-operated airport handled 83.5 lakh passengers.

“Domestic tourism has grown to about 8 million in 2023, which is nearly double the number of the 4.5 million visitors registered in 2014. Foreign tourists at 4.5 lakh in 2023 are about 45% of what they were in 2019. This is far more than the level of 30% reached in the rest of the country. This season, British charter tourists are expected to double, there is a new charter from Poland, and there are regular direct flights from Russia, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan. The foreign market is expected to rebound significantly in 2024 season, while the domestic market will continue to grow,” said Jack Sukhija, the president of the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa.

The Manohar International Airport is connected with Gatwick, Muscat, Doha, Sharjah, Sheremetyevo, Tashkent, Yekaterinburg, Moscow, and Warsaw, while the Dabolim Airport is currently connected to Dubai, Manama, and Almaty.

“Goa is currently operating with two airports, and it has helped in boosting tourism and enhancing connectivity,” said minister of state for aviation Murlidhar Mohol.

In 2022-23, Dabolim handled 83.5 lakh passengers, similar to 2019-20, but this dropped to 68.7 lakh in 2023-24. Meanwhile, Mopa, which opened in Jan 2023, handled 6.6 lakh passengers, which jumped to 4.4 lakh in 2023-24, the Centre’s data shows.

“A destination once established as a tourism brand depends largely on connectivity to fuel growth. These airports put Goa at most an hour’s flight away from most Indian metros as well as provide international linkages. Excellent access by road and rail, as well as a superb national highway linking North and South Goa, further boosts connectivity,” said Sukhija.