Tourist footfall hits 10 mn in Goa; no let up even in monsoon: Minister

The number of visitors to Goa has increased in the just-concluded tourist season and touched the one crore-mark, Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has said, dismissing perception of the footfall going down in the coastal state. There has also been a rise in the number of international tourists, which is 150 per cent more than the pre-COVID-19 figures, Khaunte told PTI in an exclusive interview here on Saturday. He, however, admitted there was competition to Goa from other states in the country as well as international players. The official tourist season ends in Goa in June with the onset of monsoon and resumes in September. The state has continued to receive tourists even during the monsoon season, the minister said. "In the monsoon, there is 80 per cent occupancy of hotels in Goa. People flock to Goa during the monsoon as they have realised that Goa is not only about the beaches, he said. Asked about the perception of there being a dip in the number of tourists to Goa, Khaunte sai