Stakeholders pin hopes on sacred aura of St Xavier to make up for lacklustre push; Rising flight fares, accommodation a concern
PANAJI
Old Goa is gearing up for the grand Exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier, which commences on Thursday. While it is expected to draw pilgrims and visitors worldwide, stakeholders feel that the government has missed the mark in leveraging this spiritual spectacle to boost tourism.
Inquiries are trickling in but bookings are reportedly not meeting expectations. Many stakeholders have lamented a weak promotional strategy for this once-in-a-decade event which offers a golden opportunity to showcase Goa’s rich religious heritage and boost revenue. Local travel agents argue that there is limited interest from traditionally active pilgrimage markets. Atish Fernandes of First Class Holiday said that they received a few group queries from Poland and Malaysia, but the overall interest in religious tourism is below expectations.
“We have received four group queries, two each from Poland and Malaysia. They are primarily interested in bookings for the main Feast day on December 3… These countries have strong religious tourism traditions…” he said.
Orlando Nunes of Trailblazer Tours India echoed similar views adding that some FIT (free independent travellers) did inquire about hotels near Old Goa.
Even among domestic tourists, the Exposition appears to be an incidental attraction rather than a planned pilgrimage. “Some who are already in Goa and their trip overlaps with the Exposition have asked us to arrange a visit to Old Goa,” Fernandes said. Overall, he stated that the number of pilgrims is not anywhere near what they initially expected, at least so far. Some tourists learnt about the event only after they arrived in Goa, Nunes said. “Rising flight fares, accommodation costs and missing pilgrimage packages have dampened interest. Many are opting for online bookings to get better deals,” he added explaining the unsatisfactory response so far.
Chief Operating Officer of SITA Travels Ernest Dias revealed that visitors from Portugal and Spain are combining their trips to India with a visit to Old Goa for the Exposition. “We received inquiries and bookings from groups as well as FITs from Portugal and Spain. Many are combining their holidays in India with the Exposition, while some are specifically coming to Goa and staying in 4-5 star hotels,” he shared. When asked about the overall response, Dias’ reply was, “As of now it’s looking good.”
For the Travel and Tourism Association of Goa (TTAG), the Exposition is a golden opportunity to showcase rich religious heritage but Goa suffers from proper planning and infrastructure.
“Exposition blends faith with tourism. Unfortunately, the planning and marketing leave much to be desired,” TTAG President Jack Sukhija said, adding,
‘There is undoubtedly interest from NRIs and expat Goans, European and Asian followers of the Saint’.
Sukhija suggested that Goa needs better infrastructure and visitor management centres at tourism hotspots throughout the year. “Lack of coordination, focus and long-term planning in organising the present Exposition is a broader issue in the tourism sector,” he opined.
