‘Visa issues, other factors’: For 1st time in two decades, Goa won’t be at World Travel Mart

Panaji: For the first time in over two decades, the tourism department will not participate in the World Travel Mart, London, as issues pertaining to visas remain unresolved.
“We are having a political bottleneck in resolving visa issues, and with e-visas still not being issued to the UK travellers, it will be a futile exercise to participate in the WTM,” tourism minister Rohan Khaunte told TOI.
Over the past two years, the WTM was held virtually, due to the pandemic. This year, it is scheduled for November.
Besides visa challenges, other factors also led Goa tourism to back out. Khaunte said the UK is facing financial ups-and-downs, and with inflation being at an all-time high there, the cost of participating will escalate. “High expenses will not justify our participation. It would be a junket if Goa tourism were still to participate,” Khaunte said.
“It’s my view and I have always been vocal about it that Goa tourism should not participate in any foreign travel mart and road show unless there is substantial business to be done,” he said. “In consultation with the Goa tourism board and stakeholders, we made a conscious decision that unwarranted participation in trade fairs is to be avoided.”
The tourism minister also said that Goa tourism did not participate in the Paris event which happened last month
Goa tourism may have some road shows in the United Kingdom if relations between the countries improve.
“With Rishi Sunak becoming PM, bilateral relations between the two countries may improve. We may think of having some road shows there, but at a later stage,” said Khaunte.
Visa issues have led to the several British holidaymakers cancelling their India plans after the Indian government changed its visa rule that required an applicant to be physically present at the visa centre, even as non-issuance of e-visas had dampened the spirits of travellers.
TUI Airways, which had planned to fly four charters a week to Goa beginning from November, altered its plan after travellers started cancelling bookings owing to difficulties in getting appointments for visa clearance.
As things stands, Goa will receive one charter a week from the UK starting November 6, while the previous two seasons were a dud in terms of charters, due to the pandemic.
“With status quo on visa issues, if Goa participates in WTM, it will have no answers to queries about delays in clearing visa applications,” said Nilesh Shah, president, Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG).
There is no point in marketing, Shah said, when people who applied for a visa have not got it even after being in queue for four to five months.
“Industry stakeholders also felt it was not prudent to spend money, with the likelihood of returns being negligible, ” said Shah.
TTAG has estimated that the tourism sector may suffer a loss of Rs 80 to 100 crore even if 10,000 UK travellers cancel their bookings.
Goa receives around 70,000 to 80,000 UK tourists, of which 40,000 to 50,000 come by charter.