Goa’s Move to Attract Adventure Tourists - India Report

24.10.2024 - 03:13 / skift.com / Bulbul Dhawan / Rohan Khaunte

Goa’s Department of Tourism has launched a slew of adventure tourism activities, such as paramotoring and shooting range experiences along with white water rafting, bungee jumping, and scuba diving. This, it said, is meant to cater to the growing demand for unique experiences among travelers. 

“The demand for adventure tourism among inbound tourists in Goa is steadily increasing, reflecting a global trend for active and immersive experiences,” the Goa Tourism Department told Skift. 

Goa-based sightseeing travel agency OneBoard App’s CEO Ryan Prazeres estimates that about 80% of the 10 million annual tourists in Goa engage in some form of adventure activity during their stay. “I believe these activities will attract many tourists who might not have initially considered Goa as their vacation destination,” he added. 

The Goa Tourism Department is hoping to attract a consistent flow of visitors throughout the year. “This rise in adventure offerings is having a positive impact on inbound tourism by attracting new demographics and extending the tourist season, creating a consistent flow of visitors year-round,” it said. 

According to the department, adventure tourism is crucial to diversifying the state’s tourism sector and boosting the local economy. 

Prazeres agreed: “The emergence of new providers will create healthy competition, leading to improved quality and customer service across the board.” He added that local tourism stakeholders such as accommodation providers, restaurants, cafes, and taxi services, will also benefit from the increase in tourist inflow. 

Goa is working to diversify its tourism offerings and moving past its current image around beaches, nightlife, and parties, the state’s Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte had earlier told Skift. That is the reason it is also looking to attract digital nomads by creating the ideal environment for remote work.

Air India and Singapore Airlines are expanding their codeshare agreement to 51 new destinations. These include 11 cities in India and 40 international destinations, Singapore Airlines said in a statement. 

Later this week, the two airlines will commence codeshare arrangement on each other’s flights between Singapore and India’s Bengaluru and Chennai cities. With this, the total weekly scheduled codeshare flights between the two countries will increase from 14 to 56. 

Singapore Airlines will also codeshare on Air India’s domestic flights on several routes, including to 11 new destinations. Air India’s international flights from Bengaluru, Delhi, and Mumbai to 12 international destinations across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa will also be under the codeshare agreement. Meanwhile, Air India will codeshare on flights to 29 destinations across