Regular recalibration with stakeholders is required to build a resilient tourism sector: Goa Tourism Minister, ET HospitalityWorld

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In a proactive move to reinforce Goa's position as a premier tourism destination, the department of Tourism, Government of Goa , convened a high-level stakeholder meeting at Paryatan Bhavan , Panjim. The meeting was chaired by the minister for Tourism, Rohan A. Khaunte, and attended by key officials including Kedar Naik, director of Tourism; Kuldeep Arolkar, MD of GTDC; Shawn Mendes, OSD to the tourism minister; and leading members of the tourism industry and Goa Tourism Board.In his opening remarks, Khaunte emphasised the importance of timely and structured stakeholder engagements, particularly in light of national and regional developments. Referring to the recent Pahalgam incident in Kashmir, he noted, 'As the Hon'ble Prime Minister ensured a swift and resolute response through Operation Sindoor, it was equally important for us, as a tourism-driven state, to evaluate the ripple effects on travel sentiment. Today's meeting was not only about addressing current concerns, but also about building long-term resilience. We are moving from mere policy reviews to dynamic recalibrations that are responsive to ground realities. Goa's strength lies in its people—every Goan is a stakeholder, an influencer, and a tourism ambassador.'Director of tourism, Kedar Naik, underlined the department's commitment to listening, learning, and enabling. 'We are here to ensure that the voice of every stakeholder is heard. From formal hotels to homestays, from digital platforms to community operators—Goa Tourism belongs to all of them. The goal is to ensure that our policies remain inclusive, adaptive, and implementation-ready.'The department also shared encouraging data, with Goa witnessing a 10.5 percent year-on-year growth in tourist arrivals for the first quarter of 2025, rising from 25,80,155 in Q1 2024 to 28,51,554 in Q1 2025. While the month of April saw a marginal dip, the overall sentiment remains strong, and targeted strategies are being deployed to address seasonal and market-specific variations.The full-day series of sectoral and plenary sessions reflected the government's emphasis on collaborative governance . From understanding how the previous season unfolded, to jointly preparing for emerging challenges—whether geopolitical, geoeconomic, or geostrategic—the consultations reaffirmed Goa Tourism's commitment to collective foresight and resilience-building.The stakeholders were informed that the Chief Minister will soon be chairing an interdepartmental meeting to drive a more coordinated response and lasting resolutions to the challenges at hand.

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