The details of Foreign Tourist Visits (FTVs) in the State of Goa during 2019-2022 is given below:

Year	FTVs (in Lakh)	Growth over previous year (%)
2018	9.34	–
2019	9.37	0.32
2020	3.03	-67.66
2021	0.22	-92.74
2022	1.75	695.45
2023(Jan-Nov)*	4.03	130.29

Source: State Tourism Department

*Provisional

As per the inputs received, Tourism department of Government of Goa has launched and notified the below mentioned schemes to recover from Covid-19 pandemic:

(i)      “Tourist Trade Support (Working Capital Interest Subvention) Scheme 2021”: to support the MSME’s in tourism industry which has been adversely affected due to pandemic by subsidizing the working capital loans for 6-month period. Under the said scheme, there is a provision of reimbursement of interest up to maximum of 5% on working capital loans amounting to a maximum of INR 25 Lakhs for 6 months in one single claim wherein the maximum burden on Government per eligible entity shall be Rs.62,500/- and maximum number of beneficiaries covered under the scheme are 800. All registered B, C, D category hotels/accommodation and Travel & Tour Operators are eligible for benefit of the said scheme.

(ii)     “International Charter Support (Waiver of Landing Fees) Scheme 2021”: to provide relaxation in landing charges of International Charters to Goa in order to attract higher number of charters by reducing the burden on cost of operation of international chartered flights. Under the said scheme, reimbursement to charters up to maximum of INR 1 lakh per international charter flight on landing charges excluding GST at Dabolim Airport, Goa during the period of the Scheme. The said scheme was in force from October 2021 to March 2022.

(iii)    Department is undertaking all possible statutory, remedial and preventive measures to ensure increase in tourist traffic in the State.  As a part of promotional campaign, the State Department of Tourism along with the travel trade participates at important international and domestic travel Marts/Exhibitions.  In addition, Road Shows are also organized in international and domestic markets.  The Department prints, distributes brochures in foreign as well as English language. In order to create awareness about Tourism in the State, this Department releases advertisements in various National and International magazines, newspapers, etc.  Besides, advertisement is also released in national and international TV channels in English and local foreign languages.

Goa Tourism shall continue its efforts of promotion of Goa in International markets by participating in various prominent international Travel Marts/exhibitions such as WTM, ITB, BTL, ATM, MITT, OTDYKH etc. & shall organised series of international roadshows to boost the inflow of foreign tourists in the State.

The Ministry of Tourism promotes the tourist destinations and tourism products of the country in a holistic manner. It endeavors to position India as a preferred tourism destination in the tourism generating markets, under the Incredible India brand, to promote various tourism products and destinations in the global tourism market through an integrated marketing and promotional strategy and a synergized campaign in association with the Travel Trade, State Governments and Indian Missions overseas.

The reply was given by Union Minister for Tourism Shri G.K Reddy in Lok Sabha today.

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