from Ares
for Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji (GA)

Panaji, Apr 28: Goa tourism sector now eyes on West Bengal and Karnataka markets to further boost its flourishing domestic tourism trade in the state, which contributes for almost 90 per cent of the tourist arrival in this coastal state.
 
"The state tourism department in association with the Goa tourism development corporation (GTDC), a state owned body, has planned two promotional shows one in Bangalore (on May  4) and another at Calcutta (on May 10)," GTDC chairman Shyam Satardekar told reporters here.
 
Internationally famed pop singer Remo Fernandes will be performing for Bangalore promotional road show while the officials are finalising May 10 Calcutta programme.
 
Of the total 22 lac domestic tourist arrival, West Bengal contributes to almost 25 per cent followed by neighbouring Maharashtra state, Satardekar said. The state government is trying to further consolidate the West Bengal market through the promotional show planned in the capital city.
 
"The attempts are to promote the state even during the monsoons," GTDC managing director Elvis Gomes, who also holds the post of director tourism, told reporters.
 
In a bid to encourage more visitors to drop in during the monsoons, GTDC and the department has decided to float special monsoon packages. "We would like the tourists to sit in the Balcony of the hotel on the sea shore and enjoy the rains hitting the coast," Gomes said.
 
Though the state tourism department is trying hard to promote Goa in Middle East during monsoons through specially coined 'raindrop tourism packages', the flight connectivity seems to be hindering the plans.
 
"Dubai-Goa flight stands discontinued while Sharhaj-Goa flight via Kochi is also closed. Tourism minister Fransisco Pacheco will be taking up the matter with the union civil aviation minister Prafulla Patel during the meeting tomorrow," Gomes said.