Panaji: With the state’s tourism industry showing signs of revival, the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG) has requested the government to allow international flights to land at the Dabolim airport and open up visa facilities for foreign tourists to come to India.
TTAG president Nilesh Shah said that the state government in turn has forwarded our request to the ministry of home affairs (MHA) and the civil aviation ministry. “The industry is hopeful of hearing positive news on that front,” he said.
Shah said that TTAG members are cheered by the fact that 350 international charter handlers have applied for slots for charter flights to land at the Dabolim airport.
According to TTAG, once the announcement is made by the Centre for opening up the country to
foreign tourists more charter flights will apply for slots and permission to fly to Goa.
He said that TTAG has also requested the state government for opening up of casinos and river cruises by October 15. “All verticals of tourism must be allowed to operate with the required SOPs in place operate for speedy revival of the industry,” said Shah.
According to TTAG, the state has started receiving tourist footfalls from September after lockdown measures were eased and the entry barriers lifted. “Weekend tourism has resumed once again with domestic tourists arriving and improving the occupancy rates of hotels,” said the TTAG president.
Domestic tourists are mainly arriving by flights. Scheduled international passenger flights were suspended in India on March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
