Panaji, Mar 5 (IANS): Goa's heat and humidity are detrimental to spread of coronavirus, according to Ports Minister Michael Lobo. Tourist arrivals had increased after the outbreak, he said here on Wednesday.

"Right now we are doing better than before, because people can't travel to Thailand, China, Italy and other destinations. They are coming to Goa pushing the number of Indian tourists up," Lobo said.

Lobo, MLA from the Calangute constituency, home to some of the most popular beaches in the state, said, "We have seen rise in the number of foreign tourists too. They can't travel to those countries. They are travelling to India and coming to Goa too".

Lobo said this when the Goa travel & tourism industry had expressed worry about dip in arrivals after the global coronavirus scare.

As far as Goa was concerned, he said it was safe. "With this weather, I don't think the virus can spread," he said and added, nothing would stop tourists from coming here.

Goa, top beach and nightlife tourism destinations in the country, received more than seven million tourists last year. Nearly half a million of them were foreigners.