Goa Tourism made a strong impact on the opening day of the India Travel Mart (ITM) Amritsar 2024. Senior Goa Tourism officials, Deepak Narvekar, Deputy General Manager, Marketing (Hotels), GTDC, and Rodlin J Mascarenhas, Assistant Director of Tourism, Department of Tourism, warmly welcomed several distinguished guests at the Goa Tourism pavilion. Notable dignitaries included Amr Aly, Country Manager of Egypt Air-India; Manmeet Singh, Chairman of the Punjab Chapter – ADTOI; Harsh Mittal from Punjab Tourism; Ashwani Gupta, Director of Dove Travels; Ajay Gupta, Managing Director of ICM GROUP; and Undleeb Roy Aujla, states a press release. The officials engaged in fruitful discussions with the guests, highlighting Goa’s diverse tourism offerings and opportunities for future collaborations.
The Goa Tourism delegation, provided a comprehensive overview of Goa’s rich and diverse tourism offerings. The pavilion, which highlights Goa’s commitment to Regenerative Tourism, showcased the state’s unique blend of culture, heritage, wellness, and spiritual tourism. The Goa Tourism delegations took this opportunity to explain Goa’s focus on MICE, weddings, adventure tourism, and the Ekadasha Teertha Circuit, a spiritual trail featuring 11 historic temples, to the distinguished guests.
The dignitaries from Amritsar praised the efforts of Goa Tourism in presenting Goa as a model for responsible and regenerative tourism. They expressed their admiration for the state’s initiatives in promoting cultural heritage while ensuring sustainability and rejuvenation of natural resources.
Goa Tourism officials also attended the inauguration of ITM Amritsar, where they spoke about the state’s tourism offerings. Deepak Narvekar and Rodlin J Mascarenhas engaged with media representatives from both Amritsar and Punjab, sharing valuable insights about Goa Tourism. Additionally, they met with tour and travel operators from Punjab, presenting a variety of Goa tourism packages to encourage visitors from the region to explore and experience the scenic beauty of Goa.
Deepak Narvekar, Deputy General Manager, Marketing (Hotels) GTDC emphasised the visionary leadership of Tourism Minister Rohan A. Khaunte has paved the way for innovative strategies that have enhanced Goa’s tourism infrastructure, ensuring that the state’s offerings align with international standards. “We were truly honoured to welcome the dignitaries of Amritsar to our pavilion. It was a pleasure to share Goa’s innovative tourism initiatives, including our focus on Regenerative Tourism, MICE, weddings, and the Ekadasha Teertha Circuit. Their support is invaluable as we aim to attract more visitors from Punjab and surrounding regions to experience Goa’s diverse offerings. The efforts of the Minister for Tourism, Rohan A. Khaunte, Chairman, GTDC, Ganesh Gaonkar and the Director Tourism, Suneel Anchipaka, IAS have been instrumental in reshaping the tourism sector, creating a more streamlined and structured approach to its development.”
Rodlin Mascarenhas, Assistant Director of Tourism, Department of Tourism added, “The inauguration ceremony provided us with an excellent platform to highlight Goa’s unique tourism experiences. We are excited to build stronger ties with visitors and stakeholders from Amritsar and beyond.”
The pavilion features interactive displays and information about upcoming major events in Goa, including the Exposition of St. Francis Xavier from 21st November 2024 to 5th January 2025, and IFFI 2024 from 20th to 28th November 2024.
Additionally, the state’s vibrant cultural festivals such as Tripurari Poornima in November and Christmas celebrations in December were promoted to showcase the vibrant spirit of Goa.
The Goa Tourism delegation is actively engaging with visitors and industry leaders, offering insights into how the state is shaping the future of tourism through responsible and regenerative practices. The Department of Tourism looks forward to welcoming tourists from Punjab and other regions to explore the natural beauty and rich heritage of Goa.