Panaji, 20th May 2025 – The Hon’ble Minister for Tourism, Shri Rohan A. Khaunte chaired a meeting in the presence of Director of Tourism Shri Kedar Naik (virtually), GTDC Managing Director Shri Kuldeep Arolkar, TTAG President Jack Sukhija, online travel partners, tourism stakeholders, delegates and key officials to outline the Department’s focused strategy for promotion of Goa during the upcoming monsoon season and the overall tourism roadmap for 2025. The session witnessed the convergence of airline partners, OTA and key industry stakeholders in a collaborative spirit to drive growth amidst evolving travel trends.
The meeting focused on shaping a robust PR and marketing strategy to promote Goa as a premier travel destination. Key discussions included the launch of a common unified hashtag to streamline digital promotion and the introduction of a 20-week campaign, with each week themed around a unique aspect of Goa. Stakeholders, especially hoteliers, were encouraged to present attractive weekday and weekend rates and packages aligned with these themes. The dialogue also emphasized clear role-sharing between the government and private stakeholders—defining what support the government can provide and what contributions are expected from the industry to ensure the campaign’s success.
Post meeting speaking during the press conference, the Minister stated, “We’ve spent the past weeks aligning with our airline and OTA partners, including players like Airbnb and Agoda, to craft a robust tourism roadmap—particularly for the monsoon. Despite the temporary slowdown following recent events, we entered the first quarter of 2025 with strong indicators in terms of business and numbers. While some sectors have taken a step back because of the Pahalgam Attack towards the end of April, Goa continues to stay committed, and our participation at ATM aimed to promote monsoon tourism in the right spirit.”
Highlighting the Department’s “Goa Beyond Beaches” campaign, the Minister emphasized the importance of promoting diverse experiences including Sao Joao, Chikal Kalo, and a host of immersive cultural activities that uniquely define monsoon in Goa. Monsoon is no longer an off-season, be it for solo travelers, women explorers, student groups or families. The goal is to ensure curated experiences, competitive packages, and deeper partnerships between airlines, OTAs and local hospitality providers to increase length of stay and attract high-spending tourists.
The Minister further stressed the need to re-evaluate market connections and airline-hotel package offerings to counter business loss and tap core international markets, especially the UAE, which remains a crucial contributor to Goa’s inbound travel numbers.
Expressing concern over misleading promotions and misrepresentations of Goa on digital platforms, the Minister emphasized the influence of wrongful messaging and exaggerated portrayals of Goa. Tourism promotion must reflect the soul of the state—its people, culture, and regenerative experiences. Such advertising will be regulated, and action will be taken where necessary.
The Minister announced that a curated meeting will be held during this week involving hoteliers, airlines, and OTAs to finalize monsoon tourism campaigns and roll out strategic initiatives under Goa Beyond Beaches. Coordination with Mr. Jack Sukhija will further align hotel sector contributions to this campaign.
He also confirmed that another strategic review and planning session is scheduled for next Monday with the same partners, focused on restaurant promotion, cultural experiences, and theme-based tourism models. Long-term seasonal planning, industry participation, and policy escalations will be discussed in coordination with the Hon’ble Chief Minister.
Goa continues to stand resilient. Under the visionary leadership of the Chief Minister, Dr Pramod Sawant, will ensure this monsoon is sold out with meaningful experiences, impactful storytelling, and unified industry efforts. Everyone loves Goa—and the state just needs to ensure the world sees it in the right light.
