Goa expects tourist profile to improve

The International film festival followed by the International kite flying festival in Goa is expected to increase the number of quality tourism in the state, feels the travel and tourism community of Goa.

While the two events this year has mostly attracted the invited delegations only, the tourism industry hopes that if this year the event is delivered properly then the quality celebrity crowd will be on a rise.

According to Lalit Mishra, general manager, Hotel Cidadae Goa, ``The international events this time had mostly made Goa more famous in the other countries. But while the number of tourists will increase this time, it is hardly owing to the IFFI or the kite flying. For these two events the number of delegations will be extra along with a handful of interested foreign and Indian people who has booked on their own. But if Goa can deliver the IFFI properly without any hitch and also more or less fix a time period within which the event will be held every year, then the number of quality tourists is definitely going to increase.''

As Travel and Tourism Association director, Ralph de'Sousa pointed out, ``We get mostly European tourists and a few of American tourists. But when it comes to attracting the other countries then we fell short. But along with sight-seeing if we can also offer the possibility of participating in an international event like IFFI then definitely the quality of tourism will increase. This year the kite flying festival is an independent one, where the delegates will only stay back if they want to at their own cost. But we are thinking of relating the two in the future so that a part of heritage is also displayed.''

However the money pouring in due to the IFFI is definitely on a rise as charges of every goods right from auto-rickshaw to entry in swimming pool has increase by five-fold.

While Goa is expecting around 600 charter flights in this season, the spate of booking during the IFFI has increased owing to domestic tourists coming in the state.

``Most of these tourists have got connections to acquire passes in the screening of the films and are making last minute bookings. But unfortunately Goa is totally packed this year for the exposition. Hopefully looking at the buoyancy of the market, more number of rooms will be added by next year,'' de Sousa added.