'22 Per Cent Rise In Domestic Tourists In 2024': Goa Tourism Ministry Refutes Social Media Buzz Of Declining Footfall

Goa Tourism Ministry has clarified that the number of tourists coming to the state increased in 2024 in comparison to 2023, opposite to the social media buzz that the tourism destination was losing its charm.

In 2024, Goa witnessed a surge in tourist visits, reaching a total of 1.04 crore, a significant increase from the 86.28 lakh tourists recorded in 2023, as per the statistics from the state's tourism department, reported by Indian Express.

The data also revealed a new record with 99.41 lakh domestic tourists in 2024, a substantial rise from the 81.75 lakh in 2023. Additionally, foreign tourist visits also saw a slight increase, going from 4.52 lakh in 2023 to 4.67 lakh in 2024.

During a press conference following an all-day meeting with stakeholders in the tourism industry, the director of tourism, Suneel Anchipaka, expressed that certain social media influencers have been spreading false information that tarnishes the reputation of the state.

“We wanted to dispel these apprehensions and give a correct picture. In terms of percentage, domestic tourist footfall has risen by 22 per cent while international tourist footfall rose by 3 per cent in 2024," Anchipaka said.

"The Dabolim airport reported a remarkable 27 per cent growth in passenger arrivals in December (2024) relative to figures for that month the previous year. Data shows there is a robust growth in tourism and Goa remains the most preferred tourist destination in India,” he added.

Goa tourism minister Rohan Khaunte also slammed social media influencers and said, “Why suddenly unverified data came in the picture from some ‘China Economic Information Centre’? All sorts of rumours were spread about Goa tourism’s decline, about roads being empty."

"We did not want to respond to every social media influencer who took Goa for a ride in the last quarter. Maybe by using Goa as a hashtag, they were trying to become famous, but today’s figures will plug all this story (of decline)," he added.

Khaunte assured that the issues raised will be addressed, but condemned the way the issue was taken up, acknowledging that every tourist place has its challenges.

"The 3 per cent increase in foreign tourists’ footfall here (in Goa) is a recovery. Despite Asia being at minus 18 per cent in terms of recovery, our growth has been better than the national average," he added.

“We cannot be compared with the footfalls of a country like Sri Lanka or Thailand or Vietnam. Tourism is not a zero-sum game. The tourists are taking multiple vacations and Goa definitely continues to be a favourite among Indian tourists,” he continued.