Goa tourism minister announces ₹350 crore tourism revamp focusing on infrastructure, connectivity, culture, and sustainable growth.
The Government of Goa has announced a tourism development programme valued at ₹350 crore, aimed at infrastructure enhancement, improved connectivity, and sector diversification.
Between January and June 2025, Goa recorded 5.45 million tourist arrivals, comprising 5.18 million domestic and 0.27 million international visitors.
According to the Minister, this represents an 8.4% year-on-year increase.
June alone recorded 8.34 lakh arrivals, attributed in part to seasonal festivals and nature-based tourism activities.
The update was provided by Tourism Minister Rohan A. Khaunte during the State Legislative Assembly session while presenting the demands for grants for the Department of Tourism.
Hotel occupancy during the first half of the year ranged between 70% and 100%.
Providing historical context, the Minister said that Goa recorded 10.4 million tourist arrivals in 2024, compared to 8.06 million in 2019.
This includes 9.94 million domestic and approximately 4.67 lakh international tourists, reflecting an increase over pre-pandemic levels.
Minister Khaunte also detailed upcoming international flight routes, confirming that direct air services between Goa and Gatwick (UK) will resume by the end of September. Additionally,
Aeroflot is scheduled to begin three weekly flights between Yekaterinburg, Russia and Mopa Airport starting October 5, with further connections established with Poland, Kazakhstan, and Uzbekistan.
As part of its long-term strategy, the state is implementing the “Goa Beyond Beaches” initiative, which includes the Ekadasha Teertha spiritual tourism circuit.
The project maps 11 historic temples across three routes, supported by state-operated transport services and planned common tourism facilities at nine sites.
Two large-scale infrastructure projects are also underway. The ₹161 crore Unity Mall project in Chimbel and the ₹125 crore Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Digital Museum in Ponda (with ₹98 crore sanctioned by the central government) are currently in progress. Design finalisation for the Unity Mall is expected by July 31.
The Minister further announced that World Tourism Day in September will be observed as part of a broader World Tourism Month initiative. Several traditional festivals, including São João, Sangodd, Shigmo, Chikhal Kalo, and Deepotsav, will feature in the calendar of events.
To improve tourist safety and oversight, the state has introduced a 1364 tourist helpline, a Beach Vigil App, and increased lifeguard and coastal police presence. Between January and July 2025, 318 touting cases were recorded. The state is also coordinating with local bodies to address issues related to stray animals in tourist zones.
Efforts are ongoing to standardise data collection across the tourism sector through the Tourism Information Management Enterprise (TIME) system, currently covering 25% of registered units.
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